SHRAPNEL  SHELL 
MANUFACTURE 


SHRAPNEL  SHELL 
MANUFACTURE 


A  COMPREHENSIVE  TREATISE  ON  THE  FORGING, 
MACHINING,  AND  HEAT-TREATMENT  OF  SHELLS, 
AND  THE  MANUFACTURE  OF  CARTRIDGE  CASES 
AND  FUSES  FOR  SHRAPNEL  USED  IN  FIELD 
AND  MOUNTAIN  ARTILLERY,  GIVING  COMPLETE 
DIRECTION  FOR  TOOL  EQUIPMENT  AND  METHODS 
OF  SETTING  UP  MACHINES,  TOGETHER  WITH 
GOVERNMENT  SPECIFICATIONS  FOR  THIS  CLASS 
OF  MUNITIONS 


By  DOUGLAS  T.  HAMILTON 

ASSOCIATE  EDITOR  OF  MACHINERY 

AUTHOR  OF  "ADVANCED  GRINDING  PRACTICE," 

"AUTOMATIC  SCREW  MACHINE  PRACTICE," 

"MACHINE  FORGING,"  ETC. 


FIRST    EDITION 


NEW  YORK 

THE  INDUSTRIAL  PRESS 

1915 


COPYRIGHT,  1915 

BY 

THE  INDUSTRIAL  PRESS 
NEW  YORK 


PREFACE 


The  design  of  shrapnel  and  the  machining  of  its  compo- 
nent parts  are  matters  which,  at  the  present  time,  are  of 
world-wide  interest  to  manufacturers,  engineers,  toolmak- 
ers,  and  mechanics  in  general.  Shrapnel  is  used  in  enor- 
mous quantities  in  the  great  European  war,  and  American 
machine  tool  builders  have  been  called  upon  to  provide 
machines  and  tool  equipment  of  the  latest  and  most  effi- 
cient design  to  meet  the  demands  made  upon  the  manufac- 
turers of  shrapnel.  Many  shops  are  running  full  force, 
day  and  night,  and  are  months  behind  with  their  orders. 
The  great  importance  of  shrapnel  manufacture,  at  the  pres- 
ent time,  is,  therefore,  unquestioned. 

A  small  percentage  of  shrapnel  shells  are  now  made 
from  bar  stock,  but  most  shrapnel  bodies  are  made  from 
forgings,  formed  hollow  in  hydraulic  presses  or  in  forging 
machines.  The  forging  processes,  which  are  of  extraordi- 
nary interest,  especially  to  those  who  know  something  of 
the  difficulties  attending  them,  are,  however,  not  finishing 
processes.  Whether  made  from  the  bar  or  forged  hollow,  all 
shrapnel  shells  must  be  very  accurately  finished  by  ma- 
chining. 

This  book  has  been  brought  out  to  meet  the  demands  for 
a  treatise  dealing  comprehensively  with  the  construction, 
forging  and  machining  operations,  and  the  tool  equipment 
used  for  making  the  shell,  fuse  parts,  and  brass  cases. 
In  this  book  are  included  not  only  the  unusually  complete  ar- 
ticles on  shrapnel  manufacture  contained  in  the  April,  1915, 
number  of  MACHINERY,  of  which  5000  extra  copies  were 
printed  and  5000  additional  reprints  made,  all  of  which 
have  been  sold,  but  it  also  includes  all  other  material  that 
has  been  published  at  various  times  in  MACHINERY  relating 
to  shrapnel  manufacture,  together  with  a  great  deal  of 
material  obtained  by  the  Editors  especially  for  this  book; 
and,  in  addition  to  this,  it  contains  abstracts  of  the  official 


specifications,  together  with  line-engravings  of  the  details 
of  Russian,  British,  and  American  shrapnel  shell  bodies, 
fuses,  and  cartridge  cases.  Hence,  it  is  believed  that  the 
book  will  prove  the  most  valuable  addition  to  the  literature 
on  the  manufacture  of  munitions  that  has  been  made  since 
the  beginning  of  the  great  war. 

D.  T.  H. 
NEW  YORK,  October,  1915. 


CONTENTS 

PAGES 

CHAPTER  I. 

Shrapnel  Shells    1-19 

CHAPTER  II. 

Forging  Shrapnel  Shells 20-39 

CHAPTER  III. 

Machining      and      Heat-treatment      of 

Shrapnel  Shells  40-74 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Machines  and  Tools  for  Shrapnel  Man- 
ufacture    75-142 

CHAPTER  V. 

Making  Fuse  Parts 143-171 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Making  Shrapnel  Cartridge  Cases 172-193 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Specifications  for  the  Manufacture  and 
Inspection  of  the  Russian  3-inch 
Shrapnel  Shell  194-212 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Specifications  for  the  Manufacture  and 
Inspection  of  the  Combination  Fuse  for 
Russian  3-inch  Shrapnel  Shells 213-230 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Specifications  for  the  Manufacture  and 
Inspection  of  Russian  3-inch  Shrapnel 
and  High-explosive  Cartridge  Cases  231-250 

CHAPTER  X. 

Specifications    for    British    18-pounder 

Quick-firing  Shrapnel  Shell 251-259 


CHAPTER  XI. 

PAGES 

Specifications  for  British  Combination 

Time  and  Percussion  Fuses 260-275 

CHAPTER  XII. 

Specifications  for  British  18-pounder 
Quick-firing  Cartridge  Case  and 
Primer 276-285 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

Specifications    for    American    Shrapnel 

Shells   286-292 

INDEX  293-296 


SHRAPNEL  SHELL 
MANUFACTURE 


CHAPTER  I 
SHRAPNEL  SHELLS 

IN  NAVAL,  coast  defense  and  artillery  operations,  sev- 
eral types  of  explosive  shells  are  used;  the  chief  ones  are: 
the  armor-piercing  shell,  made  to  pierce  armor -plate  be- 
fore exploding;  shells  exploded  by  means  of  a  timing  fuse; 
shells  exploded  by  either  a  timing  or  percussion  fuse ;  and 
shells  exploded  by  percussion  only.  Each  different  shell 
has  some  definite  function  to  fulfill,  and  is  designed  for 
that  purpose.  For  field  or  artillery  operations,  the  shrapnel 
and  lyddite  are  the  two  principal  types  used.  Of  these, 
shrapnel  is  the  most  prominent,  because  of  its  destructive 
power  and  its  interesting  mechanical  construction. 

Early  Development  of  Shrapnel. — The  shrapnel  shell 
was  invented  in  1784  by  Lieut.  Henry  Shrapnel,  and  was 
adopted  by  the  British  Government  in  1808.  As  is  shown  at 
A  in  Fig.  2,  the  first  shell  was  spherical  in  shape,  and  the 
powder  or  explosive  charge  was  mixed  with  the  bullets.  Al- 
though this  type  of  shell  was  an  improvement  over  the 
grape  and  canister  previously  used,  its  action  was  not  alto- 
gether satisfactory,  as  the  shell,  on  bursting,  projected  the 
bullets  in  all  directions  and  there  was  also  a  liability  of  pre- 
mature explosion.  In  order  to  overcome  the  defects  men- 
tioned, Col.  Boxer  separated  the  bullets  from  the  bursting 
charge  by  a  sheet-iron  diaphragm,  as  shown  at  B  in  Fig.  2. 
This  shell  was  called  a  diaphragm  shell  to  differentiate  it 
from  the  first  shell  of  this  type. 

In  the  shell  made  by  Col.  Boxer,  the  lead  bullets  were 
hardened  by  the  addition  of  antimony,  and  as  the  bursting 
charge  was  small,  the  shell  was  weakened  by  cutting  four 


0 

2  SHRAPNEL  SHELLS 

grooves  extending  from  the  fuse  hole  to  the  opposite  side  of 
the  shell.  Shells  of  spherical  shape  were  first  fired  out  of 
plain-bored  guns,  and  upon  the  advent  of  the  rifled  gun  it 
was  necessary  to  add  a  circular  base,  which  was  made  of 
wood  and  covered  with  sheet  iron  or  steel  to  take  the  rifling 
grooves.  The  first  shrapnel  shells  were  made  of  cast  iron, 
but  a  later  development  was  to  use  steel  and  elongate  the 
body,  reducing  it  in  diameter.  The  diameter  of  the  bullets 
was  also  reduced  so  that  a  greater  number  could  be  con- 
tained in  a  slightly  smaller  space.  The  improved  shrapnel 
was  also  capable  of  being  more  accurately  directed. 

Shrapnel  Shells  of  Present-day  Design. — Shrapnel  shells, 
as  used  at  the  present  time  by  the  different  governments, 
vary  slightly  in  construction  and  general  contour  as  well 
as  in  the  constituents  entering  into  their  different  mem- 
bers. As  shown  in  Fig.  1,  a  completed  shrapnel  comprises 
a  brass  case  carrying  a  detonating  primer  and  the  explosive 
charge  for  propelling  the  projectile  out  of  the  bore  of  the 
gun.  The  projectile  itself  comprises  a  forged  shell  that 
carries  the  lead  bullets  and  bursting  charge.  Screwed  into 
the  front  end  is  the  combination  timing  and  percussion  fuse 
which  can  be  set  so  as  to  explode  the  shell  at  any  desired 
point,  and  from  which  the  flame  for  exploding  the  bursting 
charge  is  conveyed  through  a  powder  timing  train  and  a 
tube  filled  with  powder  pellets  down  through  the  diaphragm 
to  the  powder  pocket. 

Of  these  members  of  a  shrapnel,  the  shell  and  timing  fuse 
present  the  most  interesting  features  from  a  mechanical 
standpoint.  The  shell  used  by  most  governments  is  made 
from  a  forging,  machined  to  the  desired  dimensions  in  hand 
and  semi-automatic  turret  lathes  as  well  as  in  ordinary  en- 
gine lathes.  The  fuse  is  an  extremely  accurate  piece  of 
mechanism,  and  is  largely  produced  from  screw  machine 
parts,  some  of  which,  however,  are  forged  previous  to  ma- 
chining. The  brass  cartridge  case — the  next  member  of  im- 
portance— is  drawn  from  a  brass  blank  by  successive  opera- 
tions in  drawing  presses,  and  is  indented  and  headed.  Fol- 
lowing this,  several  machining  operations  are  performed  on 
the  head  and  primer  pocket. 


SHRAPNEL  SHELLS 


Types  of  Shrapnel  Shells. —  Shrapnel  shells  are  made  in 
two  distinct  types,  one  of  which  is  known  as  the  common 
shell,  and  the  other  as  the  high  explosive.  The  common  shell 
is  a  base-charged  shrapnel,  fitted  with  a  combination  fuse, 
whereas  the  high-explosive  shell  is  fitted  with  a  combination 


Fig.    1.     Types   of    Shrapnel    Shells    used    by   the    American,    Russian, 
German,  French,  and  British  Governments 

fuse  and,  in  addition,  with  a  high-explosive  head,  the  head 
also  bursting  and  flying  into  atoms  upon  impact.  The  high- 
explosive  shell  is  not  ruptured  upon  the  explosion  of  the 
bursting  charge  in  the  base,  but  the  head  is  forced  out  and 


SHRAPNEL  SHELLS 


the  bullets  are  shot  out  of  the  case  with  an  increased 
velocity.  In  the  meantime,  the  head  continues  in  its  flight 
and  detonates  on  impact.  This  type  of  shell  is  not  used  as 
extensively  as  the  common  shrapnel,  and,  therefore,  the 
common  shrapnel  shell  alone  will  be  taken  up  in  the 
following. 

The  Explosive  Charge. —  Reference  to  Fig.  1  will  show 
that  as  far  as  the  construction  of  the  shrapnel  shell  and  case 
is  concerned,  there  is  very  little  difference  in  those  emloyed 
by  the  various  governments.  Starting  with  the  cases,  it 


Machinery 


Fig.   2. 


Original   Shell   designed   by   Lieut.    Henry  Shrapnel   and 
Col.    Boxer's    Improvement 


will  be  seen  that  these  are  almost  identical,  except  for  length 
and  the  arrangement  of  the  head  for  carrying  the  detonat- 
ing primer.  There  is  a  marked  similarity  in  this  respect 
between  the  Russian,  the  British,  and  the  German,  and  be- 
tween the  American  and  the  French.  The  form  of  the  ex- 
plosive charge  held  in  the  brass  case  differs  in  almost  every 
instance,  but  without  exception  smokeless  powder  in  some 
form  or  other  is  used.  In  the  American  shell,  nitrocellulose 
powder  composed  of  multi-perforated  cylindrical  grains 
each  0.35  inch  long  and  0.195  inch  in  diameter  are  used.  In 
the  Russian  case,  smokeless  powder  of  crystalline  structure 
is  used.  In  the  German,  smokeless  (nitrocellulose)  powder 
in  long  sticks  and  arranged  in  bundles  is  held  in  the  case. 


SHRAPNEL  SHELLS  5 

The  French  use  stick  smokeless  powder^  1/2  millimeter  (0.0195 
inch)  thick  by  12.69  millimeters  (!/2  inch)  wide.  Two 
lengths  or  rows  of  this  powder  are  arranged  in  the  case. 
The  British  use  a  smokeless  powder  of  crystalline  structure 
somewhat  similar  to  the  Russian,  but  in  some  cases  cordite 
has  also  been  used,  although  of  late  this  type  of  powder  has 
not  been  quite  as  commonly  employed. 

The  detonating  agent  or  primer  held  in  the  head  of  the 
case  varies  in  almost  every  type  of  shrapnel.  Practically  all 
primers  are  provided  with  "safety  heads,"  so  that  the  shrap- 
nel can  be  handled  without  danger  of  premature  explosion. 
The  object,  of  course,  of  the  detonating  agent  or  primer  is 
to  detonate  or  cause  the  sudden  explosion  of  the  explosive 
charge  in  the  shell  for  propelling  the  shrapnel  out  of  the 
field  gun. 

The  Shrapnel  Shell. —  The  shell  itself,  as  previously 
mentioned,  is  made  either  from  a  forging  or  from  bar  stock. 
Forgings,  however,  are  used  to  a  greater  extent  than  bar 
stock,  because  the  forged  shell  is  more  homogeneous  in  its 
structure  than  the  bar-stock  shell,  and  piping — a  serious 
objection  in  the  bar-stock  shell — is  entirely  eliminated.  The 
shells  used  by  the  British,  Russian,  and  German  govern- 
ments are  made  almost  exclusively  from  forgings,  whereas 
those  used  by  the  French  and  American  governments  are 
made  both  from  forgings  and  bar  stock.  When  the  French 
shell  is  made  from  bar  stock,  an  auxiliary  base  is  screwed 
into  it  to  eliminate  any  danger  of  piping.  Near  the  base  of 
all  shells  is  a  groove  in  which  a  bronze  or  copper  band  is 
hydraulically  shrunk.  This  is  afterward  machined  to  the 
desired  shape  and  takes  the  rifling  grooves  in  the  gun  so  as 
to  rotate  the  shell  when  it  is  expelled.  The  body  of  the  shell 
itself  is  slightly  smaller  than  the  bore  in  the  gun,  and  the 
rifling  band,  which  is  larger  and  which  is  compressed  into 
the  rifling  grooves,  rotates  the  projectile,  thus  keeping  it  in 
a  straight  line  laterally  during  flight.  The  bursting  charge, 
which  in  practically  all  cases  is  common  black  powder,  is 
carried  in  the  base  of  the  shell  and  is  usually  enclosed  in  a 
tin  cup.  Located  above  this  is  the  diaphragm  which  is  used 
for  carrying  the  lead  bullets  out  of  the  shell  when  the  burst- 


6  SHRAPNEL  SHELLS 

ing  charge  explodes  and  distributes  them  in  a  fan  shape.  In 
most  shells,  upon  exploding,  the  nose  blows  out,  stripping 
the  threads  that  hold  the  members  together.  It  will,  there- 
fore, be  seen  that,  in  the  explosion,  the  entire  fuse,  fuse  base, 
tube,  diaphragm  and  bullets  are  all  ejected,  the  shell  itself 
acting  as  a  secondary  cannon  in  the  air. 

The  number  of  lead  bullets  carried  in  the  3-inch  shrapnel 
shells  ranges  from  210  to  360.  In  all  cases,  the  lead  bullets 
are  about  %  inch  in  diameter,  weigh  approximately  167 
grains,  and  are  kept  from  moving  in  the  shell  by  resin  or 
other  smoke-producing  matrix.  The  matrix  put  in  with  the 
lead  bullets,  in  addition  to  keeping  them  from  rattling,  is 
also  used  as  a  "tracer."  It  is  of  importance  in  firing  shrap- 
nel that  the  position  of  the  explosion  be  plainly  seen.  With 
large  shells  this  is  not  difficult,  but  with  shrapnel  for  field 
guns  at  long  range  certain  conditions  of  the  atmosphere 
make  it  difficult  to  see  when  the  shell  actually  bursts.  Vari- 
ous mixtures  are  used  to  overcome  this  difficulty.  In  some 
cases,  fine-grained  black  powder  is  compressed  in  with  the 
bullets  in  order  to  give  the  desired  effect.  In  the  German 
shrapnel,  a  mixture  of  red  amorphous  phosphorus  and  fine- 
grained powder  which  produces  a  dense  white  cloud  of 
smoke  is  used,  and  in  the  Russian,  a  mixture  of  magnesium 
antimony  sulphide  is  used.  The  range  of  a  3-inch  shrapnel 
shell  is  about  6500  yards,  and  the  muzzle  velocity  of  the 
quick-firing  field  gun  ranges  from  1700  on  the  American  to 
1930  feet  per  second  on  the  Russian  field  gun.  The  dura- 
tion of  flight  ranges  from  21  to  25  seconds. 

Development  of  Timing  and  Percussion  Fuses.  —  The 
first  fuses  used  in  field  ammunition  were  short  iron  or  cop- 
per tubes  filled  with  a  slow-burning  composition.  These 
were  screwed  into  a  fuse  hole  provided  in  the  shell,  but 
there  was  no  means  for  regulating  the  time  of  burning. 
Later — about  the  end  of  the  seventeenth  century — the  fuse 
case  was  made  of  paper  or  wood  so  that  by  drilling  a  hole 
through  into  the  composition  the  fuse  could  be  made  to 
burn  for  approximately  the  desired  length  of  time  before 
exploding  the  shell,  or  the  fuse  could  be  cut  to  the  correct 
length  to  accomplish  the  same  purpose. 


SHRAPNEL  SHELLS  7 

For  a  considerable  time  all  attempts  to  produce  a  percus- 
sion fuse  were  unsuccessful.  Upon  the  discovery  of  ful- 
minate of  mercury  in  1799,  the  chief  requirement  of  a  per- 
cussion fuse  was  obtained.  About  fifty  years  elapsed,  how- 
ever, before  a  satisfactory  fuse  was  made.  The  first  per- 
cussion fuse  was  known  as  the  Pettman  fuse,  and  comprised 
a  roughened  ball  covered  with  detonating  composition  that 
was  released  upon  the  discharge  of  the  gun.  When  the  shell 
hit  the  desired  object,  the  ball  struck  against  the  inner  walls 
of  the  fuse,  exploded  the  composition  and  powder  charge, 
thus  bursting  the  shell.  There  are  at  the  present  time  three 
principal  types  of  fuses  in  use :  First,  those  depending  on 
gas  pressure  in  the  gun  setting  the  pellet  of  the  fuse  free— 
this  is  a  base  fuse ;  second,  those  relying  on  the  shock  of  dis- 
charge or  the  rotation  of  the  shell  to  set  the  pellet  free — 
used  in  nose  and  base  fuses;  third,  those  depending  on 
impact. 

In  shrapnel  shells  advantage  is  taken  of  two  types  of 
fuses,  one  of  which  is  the  combination  timing  and  percus- 
sion fuse  used  on  common  shrapnel,  and  the  other  the  com- 
bination timing  and  percussion  fuse  of  the  high-explosive 
type  used  on  high-explosive  shrapnel.  These  types  of  fuses 
are  again  sub-divided,  but  only  in  the  manner  of  construc- 
tion. The  most  common  fuse  is  that  known  as  the  com- 
bination timing  and  percussion  fuse  of  the  double-banked 
type.  This  is  used  in  practically  all  shrapnel  fuses  except 
the  French.  The  advantage  of  the  double  ring  of  com- 
position shown  at  A  and  B  in  Fig.  3  is  to  give  a  greater 
length  of  composition  and  more  accurate  burning.  Triple- 
banked  and  quadruple-banked  fuses  on  the  same  principle 
have  been  designed,  but  at  the  present  time  have  not  been 
introduced. 

Operation  of  Combination  Timing  and  Percussion  Fuses. 
—  The  manner  in  which  the  combination  timing  and  percus- 
sion fuse  is  regulated  to  discharge  the  bursting  charge  in 
the  shrapnel  shell  is  interesting  and  involves  extremely  dif- 
ficult mathematical  calculations.  Before  going  into  the 
method  of  setting  the  fuse,  it  would  probably  be  advisable 
to  describe  briefly  just  how  the  fuse  operates.  As  an  ex- 


8 


SHRAPNEL  SHELLS 


ample  of  the  double-banked  fuse,  Fig.  3  shows  that  adopted 
by  the  United  States  government.  The  following  descrip- 
tion applies  to  this  type  of  fuse. 

Assume,  first,  that  the  timing  ring  is  set  at  zero.  The 
propelling  force  given  to  the  shrapnel  shell  in  leaving  the 
bore  of  the  gun  is  such  as  to  sever  the  wire  C  from  plunger 
G.  Plunger  G  carries  a  concussion  primer  which  is  dis- 
charged by  hitting  firing  pin  D.  The  flame  passes  out 


Machinery 


Fig.  3. 


American  Type  of  Combination  Timing  and   Percussion 
Fuse    used    on    Shrapnel    Shells 


through  vent  E,  igniting  the  powder  pellet  F  and  the  upper 
end  of  train  A,  and  then  through  the  vent  H.  From  here, 
the  flame  is  transmitted  to  the  lower  timing  ring  B  through 
vent  /  and  the  magazine  J,  and  from  there  through  the  tube 
to  the  bursting  charge  in  the  base  of  the  shrapnel  shell. 

Assume  any  other  setting,  say  12  seconds.    The  vent  H  is 
now  changed  in  position  with  respect  to  vent  F  leading  to 


SHRAPNEL  SHELLS 


the  upper  timing  train,  and  the  vent  /  leading  to  the  powder 
magazine  J  is  also  changed.  The  flame,  therefore,  now 
passes  through  vent  E  and  burns  along  the  upper  time  train 
A  in  a  counterclockwise  direction  until  the  vent  H  is 
reached.  It  then  passes  down  to  the  beginning  of  the  lower 
timing  train  and  burns  back  in  a  clockwise  direction  to  the 
position  of  vent  /,  from  which  it  is  transmitted  by  the  pellet 


Machinery 


Fig.  4. 


Russian  Type  of  Combination  Timing  and  Percussion  Fuse 
used    on    Shrapnel    Shells 


of  compressed  powder  in  this  vent  to  the  powder  magazine 
J.  It  should  be  understood  that  the  annular  grooves  in  the 
lower  face  of  each  timing  train  do  not  form  complete  circles, 
a  solid  portion  being  left  between  the  grooves  in  the  ends 
of  each.  This  solid  portion  is  used  to  obtain  a  setting  at 
which  the  fuse  cannot  be  exploded  and  is  known  as  the 
"safety  point."  As  shown  in  Fig.  6,  it  is  marked  S  on  the 
adjustable  timing  ring. 


10  SHRAPNEL  SHELLS 

The  timing  fuse  shown  in  Fig.  3  is  of  the  combination 
timing  and  percussion  type,  and  if  the  wire  C  fails  to  re- 
lease percussion  plunger  G,  the  shell  is  exploded  by  means 
of  a  percussion  fuse  which  comes  into  use  when  the  shell 
strikes.  The  percussive  mechanism  consists  of  a  primer  K 
held  in  an  inverted  position  in  the  center  of  the  fuse  body 
by  a  cup  located  beneath  the  percussive  primer.  Percus- 
sion plunger  L  works  in  a  recess  in  the  base  of  the  fuse 
body  and  is  kept  at  the  bottom  of  the  recess  away  from  con- 
tact with  the  primer  by  a  light  spring  in  plunger  M.  The 
firing  pin  N  is  mounted  on  a  f  ulcrumed  pin,  and  is  normally 
kept  in  the  vertical  position  by  means  of  two  side  spring 
plungers.  When  the  shell  strikes,  the  impact  causes  the 
plunger  to  snap  up  against  the  primer  after  compressing 
the  spring  in  pin  M.  This  causes  the  firing  of  the  primer 
K  and  the  explosive  charge  passes  out  through  a  hole  in  the 
percussion  plunger  chamber,  not  shown,  to  the  magazine  / 
and  from  there  down  to  the  powder  in  the  base  of  the  shell. 

Russian  Fuse.  —  The  Russian  fuse  shown  in  Fig.  4  differs 
only  in  a  few  minor  details  from  the  American  fuse,  the 
chief  difference  being  in  the  arrangement  of  the  percussive 
mechanisms.  The  percussive  plunger  for  the  timing  ar- 
rangement is  kept  up  from  the  firing  pin  by  means  of  a 
spring  bushing  E  surrounding  the  body  of  the  plunger. 
This  bushing  is  expanded  by  the  plunger  which  is  forced 
through  it  due  to  the  force  of  the  shrapnel  in  leaving  the 
bore  of  the  gun.  The  spring  B  in  the  head  of  the  fuse 
assists  the  plunger  in  expanding  bushing  E  and  in  dropping 
down  onto  the  firing  pin  C.  The  flame  from  the  exploded 
primer  then  travels  down  to  the  powder  in  the  shell  in 
practically  the  same  way  that  it  does  in  the  American  fuse, 
except  that  the  magazine  chamber  is  located  at  D  and  ex- 
plodes through  the  impact  fuse  chamber.  The  percussive 
arrangement  for  setting  the  shell  off  by  impact  is  slightly 
different  from  that  in  the  American  fuse,  in  that  the  primer 
and  firing  pin  are  held  apart  by  means  of  springs,  the 
inertia  of  which  is  overcome  when  the  shell  strikes  an 
object. 


SHRAPNEL  SHELLS 


11 


French  Fuse. —  With  the  exception  of  a  few  minor  de- 
tails, the  timing  fuses  used  in  American,  Russian,  British, 
German,  Japanese,  etc.,  shrapnel  shells  are  the  same.  The 
French  timing  fuse,  however,  as  shown  by  the  diagram 
Fig.  5,  operates  on  an  entirely  different  principle.  In  this 
fuse,  the  firing  for  the  timing  train  is  contained  in  a  sealed 
tube  of  pure  tin  and  is  wound  spirally  around  the  head  of 
the  fuse.  Inside  of  the  head  is  the  ignition  arrangement. 
To  set  the  timing  part  of  this  fuse,  it  is  placed  in  a  fuse- 
setting  machine  attached  to  the  field  gun  and,  by  forcing 
down  a  handle  on  this  device,  a  piercing  point  is  thrust 
through  the  outer  cap  of  the  fuse,  penetrating  to  the  in- 

t  e  r  i  o  r  space  of  the 
head  as  shown  at  A. 
Upon  the  discharge  of 
the  shell  from  the  gun, 
the  gas  pressure  forces 
firing  pin  B  back,  hit- 
t  i  n  g  the  percussive 
primer  C.  This  causes 
a  flame  which  passes 
out  through  the  open- 
ing previously  punch- 
ed at  A  and  ignites  the 
"rope"  powder  fuse 
which  is  wound  around 
the  head  of  the  fuse 
body.  This  t  y  p  e  o  f 
fuse  is  also  provided  with  a  fuse  which  sets  off  the  shell 
by  impact  should  the  timing  fuse  fail  to  work.  The  head 
of  the  fuse  is  covered  with  a  cap  with  holes  for  the  pierc- 
ing point,  and  the  whole  cap  can  be  shifted  around  for 
a  short  distance  and  set  by  the  corrector  scale  marked 
on  the  body,  as  shown  in  Fig.  1.  A  projection  on  the  cap 
engages  a  recess  in  the  fuse-setting  machine  and  provides 
for  this  movement. 

Firing  of  Shrapnel. —  The  accuracy  with  which  a  shrap- 
nel can  be  exploded  in  the  air  at  any  desired  point  is  re- 
markable, considering  the  number  of  variable  quantities 


Machinery 


Fig.    5.      French    Type    of   Combination 
Timing   and    Percussion    Fuse 


12 


SHRAPNEL  SHELLS 


that  enter  into  the  construction  of  the  timing  fuse  and 
powder  train,  etc.  The  calculations  necessary  for  finding 
the  correct  setting  on  the  timing  ring  involve,  however,  the 
use  of  higher  mathematics  and  are  consequently  not  within 
the  scope  of  this  treatise. 

In  Fig.  6,  the  timing  ring  used  on  the  American  fuse  is 
shown.  Here  it  will  be  seen  that  the  ring  is  provided  with 
twenty-one  graduations  corresponding  to  twenty-one 
seconds  in  the  duration  of  flight  of  the  projectile.  It  will 

also  be  noticed  that 
the  spacing  of  the 
graduations  differs. 
The  reason  for  this 
is  found  in  the  rela- 
tion of  the  vents, 
the  positions  of  the 
lower  timing  train, 
the  trajectory  of  the 
flying  missile,  and 
the  decrease  of  ve- 
locity. 

Diagram  Fig.  7 
shows  in  an  inter- 
esting manner  just 
how  a  shrapnel  is 
fired.  The  range  is 
approximately  o  b  - 
tained  by  panoram- 
ic sights  or  other 
means,  and  a  test 
shell  fired,  the  point  of  explosion  noted,  and  the  necessary 
corrections  made.  A  table  which  has  been  worked  out  for 
different  distances  is  then  used.  In  Fig.  7  the  diagram 
shown  pertains  to  the  American  quick-firing  field  gun  hav- 
ing a  muzzle  velocity  of  1700  feet  per  second  and  the  Ameri- 
can shrapnel  of  3-inch  size.  It  will  be  noted  that  at  2000 
yards  the  terminal  velocity  of  the  shrapnel  is  1038  feet  per 
second  and  the  time  of  flight  for  the  projectile  4.75  seconds. 
In  other  words,  the  timing  train  to  explode  the  shrapnel  at 


Machinery 


Fig.   6.     Diagram   showing    how   Timing    Ring 

on  the  American   Combination  Timing 

and  Percussion   Fuse  is  laid  out 


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14  SHRAPNEL  SHELLS 

in  the  base  of  the  projectile,  and  the  cartridge  case  that  car- 
ries the  powder  charge  used  in  propelling  the  projectile  out 
of  the  bore  of  the  gun.  A  high-explosive  shell  also  com- 
prises three  principal  parts,  but  the  projectile,  instead  of 
carrying  a  charge  of  bullets  and  black  powder,  is  filled  with 
a  high-explosive  material,  which,  when  detonated,  bursts  the 
body  of  the  projectile  into  small  pieces  that  are  thrown  off 
with  great  velocity  and  destructive  effect.  Shrapnel  is 
used  against  troops  in  the  open  field,  whereas  high-explosive 
shells,  which  may  be  either  of  the  ordinary  or  of  the  armor- 
piercing  type,  are  used  against  fortifications,  etc. 

Classification  of  Explosives. —  The  explosives  used  in 
shrapnel  and  high-explosive  shells  may  be  divided  into  three 
general  classes:  1.  Progressive  or  propelling  explosives 
— known  as  "low"  explosives.  2.  Detonating  or  disrup- 
tive explosives — known  as  "high"  explosives.  3.  Detona- 
tors— known  as  "fulminates."  The  first  of  these  includes 
black  gun  powder,  smokeless  powder,  and  black  blasting 
powder.  The  second,  dynamite,  nitroglycerine,  gun  cotton, 
etc.  The  third  includes  chiefly  fulminates  and  chlorates. 
In  all  classes  of  explosives,  the  effect  of  the  explosion  is 
dependent  upon  the  quantity  of  gas  and  the  heat  developed 
per  unit  of  weight  and  volume  of  the  explosive,  the  rapidity 
of  the  reaction,  and  the  character  of  the  confinement,  if  any, 
of  the  explosive  charge. 

Low  Explosives.  —  For  certain  explosives,  such  as  smoke- 
less powder,  the  explosive  action  does  not  differ  in  princi- 
ple from  the  burning  of  a  piece  of  wood  or  other  combustible 
material.  The  combustion  is  very  rapid,  but  is  a  surface 
action,  progressing  from  layer  to  layer  until  the  en- 
tire grain  is  consumed.  Such  materials  are  known  as  "low" 
explosives,  although  the  power  developed  through  the  com- 
bustion of  a  unit  weight  may  be  very  great.  The  progres- 
sive emission  of  gas  from  a  low  explosive,  such  as  burning 
gun  powder,  produces  a  pushing  effect  upon  a  projectile 
without  unduly  /straining  the  gun,  whereas  the  sudden 
conversion  of  an  equal  weight  of  a  high  explosive,  such  as 
nitroglycerine,  into  gas,  would  develop  such  high  pressures 
as  to  rupture  the  gun. 


SHRAPNEL  SHELLS  15 

High  Explosives.  —  In  high  explosives,  such  as  nitrogly- 
cerine, gun  cotton,  picric  acid,  etc.,  the  progress  of  the  ex- 
plosive reaction  is  not  by  burning  from  layer  to  layer,  but, 
instead,  consists  of  an  initial  breaking  up  of  the  molecules, 
giving  rise  to  an  explosive  wave,  which  is  transmitted  with 
great  velocity  in  all  directions  throughout  the  mass,  and 
causes  it  to  be  converted  almost  instantly  into  a  gas.  The 
velocity  of  this  explosive  wave  has  been  determined,  for 
some  materials,  to  be  more  than  20,000  feet,  or  approxi- 
mately four  miles,  per  second. 

Detonators  or  Fulminates.  —  The  action  of  fulminates  is 
much  more  powerful  than  either  the  low  or  high  explosives 
described.  They  can  be  readily  detonated  by  slight  shock 
or  by  the  application  of  heat,  and  are  used  in  primers,  for 
setting  off  the  propelling  charge  in  a  cartridge  case,  and  in 
fuses,  either  of  the  plain  percussion  or  of  the  combination 
time  and  percussion  types.  The  most  common  fulminate 
is  made  by  dissolving  mercury  in  strong  nitric  acid  and  then 
pouring  the  solution  into  alcohol.  After  an  apparently  vio- 
lent reaction,  a  mass  of  fine,  gray  crystals  of  fulminate  of 
mercury  is  produced.  The  crystalline  powder  thus  pro- 
duced is  washed  with  water  to  free  it  from  acid  and  is  then 
mixed  with  glass  ground  to  a  fine  powder.  Because  of  its 
extreme  sensitiveness  to  heat  produced  by  the  slightest 
friction,  it  is  usually  kept  soaked  in  water  or  alcohol  until 
needed. 

Manufacture  of  Black  Powder.  —  Black  powder,  because 
of  its  "pushing"  effect  when  exploded,  is  used  extensively 
as  a  base  charge  for  shrapnel  shells  in  expelling  the  bullets 
from  the  projectile.  It  comprises  three  principal  elements 
in  about  the  following  proportions :  75  parts  of  saltpeter, 
15  parts  of  charcoal,  and  10  parts  of  sulphur.  These  in- 
gredients must  be  absolutely  free  from  impurities  and,  in 
manufacturing,  great  care  is  taken  in  refining  the  saltpeter 
and  sulphur,  and  in  burning  the  charcoal,  to  prevent  the 
introduction  of  any  foreign  substances.  After  purification, 
the  ingredients  are  carefully  weighed  in  the  proper  propor- 
tions and  mixed  for  about  5  minutes  in  a  revolving  drum 
provided  with  mixing  arms.  The  mixed  charge  is  now  ground 


16  SHRAPNEL  SHELLS 

for  several  hours,  the  charge  being  moistened  occasionally 
with  distilled  water,  the  resulting  mixture  being  what  is 
called  a  "milk  cake."  It  is  then  reduced  to  fine  meal  in  a 
machine  having  Tobin  bronze  or  gun-metal  rollers,  after 
which  it  is  compressed  under  hydraulic  pressure. 

The  next  operation  comprises  the  granulating  of  the  pow- 
der, which  is  done  in  a  strong  Tobin  bronze  or  gun-metal 
framework  carrying  two  pairs  of  toothed  and  two  pairs  of 
plain  Tobin  bronze  or  gun-metal  rollers.  The  "cake"  is  cut 
into  pieces  by  these  rollers  and  falls  on  screens  which  sift 
it  into  grains  of  the  required  size.  The  grains  are  then 
separated  from  the  dust  in  a  revolving  screen,  and  the  high 
polish  or  glaze  is  produced  by  putting  the  powder  into 
drums  or  glazing  barrels,  which  revolve  constantly  for 
several  hours.  Graphite  is  generally  used  to  provide  the 
glazing  effect.  The  powder  is  now  dried  in  a  stove  heated 
by  steam  pipes,  and  is  spread  upon  canvas  trays  placed 
on  shelves. 

Manufacture  of  Smokeless  Powder.  —  Smokeless  pow- 
der, which  is  used  in  various  forms  in  cartridge  cases,  was 
discovered  in  1846  by  a  German  chemist  Schoenbein.  The 
chief  ingredient  of  smokeless  powder  is  cotton.  The  por- 
tion of  cotton  used  is  generally  the  short  fiber.  The 
first  attempts  to  produce  gun  cotton  were  unsatisfactory, 
and  several  very  serious  explosions  occurred.  Many  of  the 
difficulties  in  its  manufacture  were  overcome  by  an  Aus- 
trian, von  Lenk.  Still  further  progress  was  made  by  a 
Swedish  engineer,  Alfred  Nobel,  and  the  improved  explo- 
sive was  patented  in  1888  under  the  name  of  "ballistite." 
One  of  the  principal  smokeless  powders  is  known  as  "cor- 
dite", this  name  being  derived  from  the  cord-like  form  it 
assumes  in  manufacture.  The  first  compositions  of  cordite 
were:  58  per  cent  of  nitroglycerine;  37  per  cent  of  gun 
cotton;  and  5  per  cent  of  mineral  jelly.  This  composition, 
after  considerable  use,  was  found  to  have  a  slight  deterio- 
rating effect  on  the  bore  of  the  gun,  and  after  ten  years' 
use  was  modified  to  the  following  proportions :  30  per  cent 
of  nitroglycerine ;  65  per  cent  of  gun  cotton ;  and  5  per  cent 
of  mineral  jelly. 


SHRAPNEL  SHELLS  17 

The  brand  of  smokeless  powder  used  most  extensively  as 
a  propelling  charge  in  shrapnel  or  high-explosive  shells  is 
known  as  nitrocellulose,  and,  as  is  common  with  cordite,  the 
base  of  this  is  cotton,  as  previously  explained.  It  is  manu- 
factured as  follows:  After  bleaching  and  purifying,  the 
cotton  is  run  through  a  picker  which  opens  up  the  fibers 
and  breaks  up  any  lumps.  It  is  then  thoroughly  dried  and 
is  ready  for  nitration.  The  most  generally  used  method  of 
nitration  is  to  put  the  cotton  into  a  large  vessel  filled  with 
a  mixture  of  nitric  and  sulphuric  acids.  The  sulphuric 
acid  absorbs  the  water  developed  in  the  process  of  nitration, 
which  would  otherwise  too  greatly  dilute  the  nitric  acid. 
After  a  few  minutes'  immersion,  the  pot  is  rapidly  rotated 
by  power,  and  the  acid  permitted  to  escape.  Following 
this,  the  nitrated  cotton  is  washed  for  a  short  time  and  then 
removed  from  the  nitrator  or  pot  and  repeatedly  washed  or 
boiled  to  remove  all  traces  of  free  acid.  As  the  keeping 
qualities  of  the  nitrated  cotton  are  dependent  upon  the  thor- 
oughness with  which  it  is  purified,  the  specifications  for 
powder  for  the  United  States  army  and  navy  require  that 
the  nitrocellulose  shall  be  given  at  least  five  boilings  at  this 
stage  of  the  manufacture,  with  a  change  of  water  after 
each  boiling,  the  total  time  of  boiling  being  forty  hours. 
Following  this  preliminary  purification,  the  nitrocellulose 
is  cut  up  into  shorter  lengths,  by  being  rapidly  run  between 
cylinders  carrying  revolving  knives.  This  operation — 
known  as  "pulping" — is  necessary  because  of  the  difficulty 
experienced  in  removing  the  free  acid,  unless  the  fibers 
are  cut  up  into  short  lengths. 

After  pulping,  the  nitrocellulose  is  given  six  more  boil- 
ings, with  a  change  of  water  after  each,  followed  by  ten 
cold  water  washings.  The  material  is  now  known  as  gun 
cotton  or  pyrocellulose.  Previous  to  adding  the  solvent, 
this  must  be  free  from  water.  This  is  generally  accom- 
plished in  a  circular  wringer,  and  in  addition  by  compress- 
ing the  pyrocellulose  into  solid  blocks.  Alcohol  is  forced 
through  the  compressed  mass.  Ether  is  then  added  to  the 
pyrocellulose  already  impregnated  with  alcohol,  the  relative 
proportions  being  two  parts,  by  volume,  of  ether  to  one 


18  SHRAPNEL  SHELLS 

part  of  alcohol.  After  the  ether  has  been  thoroughly  in- 
corporated in  a  kneading  machine,  the  material  is  placed 
in  a  hydraulic  press  and  formed  into  cylindrical  blocks 
about  10  inches  in  diameter  and  15  inches  long.  It  is  then 
transferred  to  a  finishing  press  where  it  is  again  forced 
through  dies  and  comes  out  in  the  form  of  long  strips  or 
rods,  which  are  cut  into  pieces  of  the  length  and  widths 
required.  It  is  in  this  finishing  process  that  the  various 
governments  differ  in  their  methods  of  manufacture.  The 
United  States  Government  uses  a  short  perforated  circular 
block,  whereas  the  French  use  flat  sticks  about  0.0195  inch 
thick  by  %  inch  wide.  Two  lengths  or  rows  of  these  sticks 
are  arranged  in  the  cartridge  case.  The  cut  up  pieces  are 
subjected  to  a  drying  process  which  removes  nearly  all  the 
solvent  and  leaves  the  material  in  a  suitable  condition  for 
use.  The  drying  process  is  a  lengthy  one,  amounting  to  as 
much  as  four  or  five  months  for  powder  in  large  pieces. 
Upon  completion,  the  powder  is  blended  and  packed  in  air- 
tight boxes. 

Manufacture  of  High  Explosives.  —  The  explosive  charges 
used  in  high-explosive  shells  are  known  by  various  trade 
names,  such  as:  emmensite,  lyddite,  melinite,  maximite, 
nitrobenzole,  nitronaphthaline,  shimose,  trinitrotoluol,  tur- 
penite,  etc.  The  base  of  such  explosives  as  emmensite,  max- 
imite, lyddite,  melinite,  and  shimose,  is  picric  acid,  which 
is  secured  from  coal  tar,  subjected  to  fractional  distillation. 
The  liquid  which  comes  off  when  this  is  raised  to  a  tem- 
perature of  150  degrees  C.  is  called  "light"  oil,  and  when 
these  light  oils  have  been  again  distilled,  the  next  fraction 
or  "middle"  oil  yields  phenol  or  carbolic  acid.  This  sub- 
stance when  nitrated  gives  off  picric  acid.  Experiments 
with  lyddite  shells  showed  their  behavior  to  be  very  erratic, 
some  exploding  with  great  effect,  while  others  gave  disap- 
pointing results.  This  was  due  to  the  fact  that  picric  acid 
requires  a  powerful  detonator  to  obtain  the  highest  explosive 
effect.  The  use  of  such  a  detonator,  however,  is  dangerous, 
and  extensive  experiments  have  brought  forth  a  new  high 
explosive  known  as  trinitrotoluol — generally  termed  T.  N. 
T.  Although  the  explosive  force  of  trinitrotoluol  is  slightly 


SHRAPNEL  SHELLS  19 

less  than  that  of  picric  acid,  the  pressure  of  the  latter  being 
135,820  pounds  per  square  inch  as  against  119,000  pounds 
for  trinitrotoluol,  its  advantages  more  than  compensate  for 
the  difference. 

Trinitrotoluol  is  obtained  by  the  nitration  of  toluene, 
contained  in  the  crude  benzol  distilled  from  coal  tar  and 
washed  out  from  coal  gas.  The  crude  benzol  contains 
roughly : 

Per  cent 

Benzine    50 

Toluene    36 

Xylene 11 

Other  substances  3 

Toluene  to  be  used  for  the  manufacture  of  trinitrotoluol 
should  be  a  clear  water-like  liquid,  free  from  suspended 
solid  matter,  and  having  a  specific  gravity  of  not  less  than 
0.868,  nor  more  than  0.870,  at  15.5  degrees  C.  Trinitrotol- 
uol when  pure  has  no  odor  and  is  a  yellowish  crystalline 
powder  which  darkens  slightly  with  age.  It  cannot  be 
exploded  by  flame  or  strong  percussion,  and  a  rifle  bullet 
may  be  fired  through  it  without  any  effect.  When  heated 
to  180  degrees  C.,  it  ignites  and  burns  with  a  heavy  black 
smoke;  but  when  detonated  by  a  fulminate  of  mercury 
detonator,  it  explodes  with  great  violence,  giving  off  a  black 
smoke..  Shells  containing  this  explosive,  first  used  on  the 
western  battle  front,  were  given  such  names  as  "coal  boxes," 
"Jack  Johnsons,"  "Black  Marias,"  etc.,  by  the  allies. 

The  Russians  and  Austrians  use  a  high  explosive  known 
as  ammonal  in  which  12  to  15  per  cent  of  trinitrotoluol  is 
mixed  with  an  oxidizing  compound,  ammonium  nitrate,  a 
small  amount  of  aluminum  powder,  and  a  trace  of  charcoal. 
This  high  explosive  gives  somewhat  better  results  than 
plain  trinitrotoluol,  but  has  the  one  disadvantage  of  easily 
collecting  moisture,  and  consequently  must  be  made  up  in 
air-tight  cartridges.  The  British  are  now  using  an  im- 
proved compound  of  this  character,  which  is  so  prepared 
that  trouble  is  not  experienced  with  the  collection  of 
moisture. 


CHAPTER  II 
FORGING  SHRAPNEL  SHELLS 

WITHIN  the  last  few  months,  many  methods  have  been 
suggested  for  making  shrapnel  forgings,  but  a  compara- 
tively small  number  have  been  put  into  use.  Practically 
speaking,  no  two  governments  have  adopted  the  same 
method.  The  Russian  government  uses  double-acting  hori- 
zontal hydraulic  forging  presses  in  which  two  operations 
are  performed  at  the  same  time  on  different  forgings.  For 
instance,  while  the  punch  in  one  end  of  the  machine  is 
piercing  a  heated  billet,  the  ram  on  the  return  stroke  per- 
forms the  hot  drawing  operation  on  another  shell  located 
at  the  opposite  end  of  the  machine.  In  this  way  a  shell  is 
completed  at  each  cycle  of  the  machine — forward  and  re- 
turn stroke.  The  French  government,  up  to  a  short  time 
ago,  used  steam  hammers  for  this  purpose,  and  produced 
shrapnel  forgings  in  practically  the  same  manner  as  a  drop- 
forging  is  made,  the  punch  being  carried  in  the  ram  of  the 
press  and  the  die  held  on  the  bed.  This  is  rather  a  slow 
process  and  requires  more  than  one  heating  to  complete 
the  forging.  The  German  government  uses  a  horizontal 
hydraulic  forging  press  for  piercing  the  billet  and  a  steam 
driven  machine  for  drawing  the  forging,  which  receives  its 
motion  from  a  rack  and  pinion.  This  method  has  the  ad- 
vantage over  the  hydraulic  press  of  being  more  economical 
in  the  consumption  of  power. 

The  methods  followed  by  different  concerns  in  this  coun- 
try and  Canada,  at  the  present  time,  differ  to  a  large  ex- 
tent. Some  manufacturers  are  using  a  method  that  dates 
back  as  far  as  1890,  as  will  be  described  later.  Others  are 
using  a  more  improved  method  developed  about  1895, 
whereas  about  three  concerns  are  using  a  still  more  im- 
proved method  developed  within  the  past  year. 

Caley  Method  of  Making  Shrapnel  Forgings. — The  first 
method  (known  as  the  Caley  process)  of  making  shrapnel 
forgings  in  this  country  had  its  inception  about  1890  and 

20 


FORGING  SHRAPNEL  SHELLS 


21 


was  used  almost  exclusively  until  1895.  This  comprised 
a  slug-forming  and  billet-piercing  operation  followed  by  a 
successive  reduction  and  elongation  of  the  forging  through 
drawing  dies  The  order  of  these  operations  is  shown  dia- 
grammatically  in  Fig.  1.  The  information  given  herewith 
pertains  to  the  making  of  a  forging  for  a  3-inch  shrapnel 
shell.  As  shown  at  D,  a  billet  of  steel  3*4  inches  in  diame- 
ter and  6%  inches  long  was  cut  off  from  a  bar  with  a  cold 


Machinery 


Fig.    1. 


Diagram   showing   Caley   Process  of   making   Shrapnel 
Forgings    in    Hydraulic    Forging    Presses 


saw,  and  formed  into  a  cone  shape  under  a  vertical  hy- 
draulic press  having  a  capacity  of  100  tons.  The  billet  was 
heated  in  a  furnace  to  about  1900  degrees  F.,  dropped  into 
the  impression  in  the  die  and  forced  into  shape  by  a  hy- 
draulic plunger  having  a  depression  in  the  lower  end  which 
centered  the  blank.  The  result  of  this  operation  is  shown 
at  F. 


Machinery 


22 


Fig.  2.     Watson-Stlllman   Hydraulic  Forging  Press  of  the  Vertical 
Type  used  for  making  Shrapnel   Forgings 


FORGING   SHRAPNEL   SHELLS  23 

The  next  step  was  to  anneal  the  billet,  after  which  it 
was  pierced  as  shown  at  C,  and  at  the  same  time  slightly 
elongated.  This  operation  was  handled  in  a  hydraulic 
press  of  the  type  shown  in  Fig.  2.  On  a  0.70  per  cent 
carbon  steel  billet  the  pressure  on  the  punch  in  the  pierc- 
ing operation  was  20,000  pounds  per  square  inch,  and  the 
machine  used  was  a  vertical  hydraulic  forging  press  of  the 
type  referred  to  having  a  capacity  of  100  tons.  From  the 
piercing  operation  the  forging  was  taken  direct  without 
annealing  to  the  horizontal  hydraulic  draw  press,  and,  as 
is  shown  at  H,  was  located  on  a  punch  and  forced  through 
a  series  of  drawing  dies  which  gradually  reduced  the  shell 
to  the  correct  diameter,  3Vs  inches,  and  drew  it  out  to 
the  required  length,  about  8%  inches. 

A  point  worthy  of  attention  is  the  preparation  of  the 
cone-shaped  billet.  The  smallest  end  was  made  slightly 
smaller  than  the  smallest  reduction  die  in  the  series.  The 
reason  for  this  was  that  if  any  drawing  were  done  on  the 
end  of  the  shell  the  front  corner  would  be  drawn  over  and 
deformed,  increasing  the  amount  of  machining  required. 
The  drawing  dies  in  this  case  were  six  in  number,  as  shown 
at  H,  and  were  reduced  on  a  sliding  scale  of  the  following 
proportional  reductions.  First,  0.100  inch;  second,  0.080 
inch;  third,  0.060  inch;  fourth,  0.040  inch;  fifth,  0.030 
inch ;  and  sixth,  0.020  inch.  This  gave  dies  of  the  following 
sizes,  in  inches,  starting  with  the  largest  in  the  series :  3.355, 
3.275,  3.215,  3.175,  3.145,  and  3.125. 

The  shape  given  to  the  drawing  edges  of  the  dies  is  of 
prime  importance.  The  mouth  or  entering  side  of  the  hole 
was  beveled  to  an  angle  of  20  degrees  leading  to  a  liberal 
curve  which  terminated  in  a  land  1/16  inch  wide.  The 
shape  was  finished  off  with  a  %-inch  radius.  These  dies 
were  made  from  chilled  cast  iron  and  were  held  in  position 
as  shown  at  Hy  being  slipped  into  a  pocket  in  the  frame  of 
the  machine,  as  shown  at  /.  The  punches  for  the  coning, 
piercing  and  hot  drawing  operations  were  made  from  spe- 
cial hot  punching  steel.  The  first  drawing  die  in  the  series 
lasted  the  longest  because  the  metal  was  hotter  at  this  point 
than  when  it  was  drawn  completely  through  the  dies.  As 


24 


FORGING  SHRAPNEL   SHELLS  25 

a  rule,  the  last  drawing  die  turned  out  100  shells  before 
being  worn  or  scored.  Then  it  was  reground  to  a  larger 
size  and  used  again.  The  drawing  punch  was  lubricated 
occasionally  with  graphite.  After  drawing,  the  forging  is 
annealed  to  obtain  the  proper  physical  qualities.  This 
method  of  making  forgings  for  a  3-inch  shrapnel  shell  is 
capable  of  producing  400  in  ten  hours. 

Holinger  Method  of  Making  Shrapnel  Forgings. —  About 
1895  the  following  method,  known  as  the  Holinger  process 
of  making  shrapnel  forgings,  was  devised.  Instead  of 
making  the  billet  conical  in  shape  before  piercing,  this  pre- 
liminary operation  was  dispensed  with,  and  to  facilitate  the 
work,  as  well  as  to  reduce  the  friction  of  the  flowing  metal, 
the  arrangement  of  the  piercing  punch  and  die  was  changed. 
This  process  is  shown  in  Figs.  3  and  4,  and  was  accom- 
plished in  a  hydraulic  press  provided  with  two  cylinders, 
one  located  at  the  bottom  and  the  other  at  the  top  of  the 
press. 

The  operation  was  as  follows:  The  die  a  was  held  in  a 
movable  frame  b  and  the  piston  c  acted  first.  The  first 
position  after  the  billet  was  dropped  into  the  die  is  shown 
at  B.  Here  the  die  a  and  punch  d  remained  stationary 
while  the  piston  c  descended,  pushing  the  billet  through 
the  die  and  over  the  punch.  When  the  piston  reached  the 
end  of  its  stroke,  as  shown  at  C,  the  lower  cylinder  began  to 
act  and  the  frame  carrying  the  die  was  raised.  This  frame, 
as  shown  at  D,  carried  a  stripper  plate  e  which  removed  the 
pierced  billet  from  the  punch  and  located  it  so  that  it  could 
be  picked  off  with  a  pair  of  tongs.  A  subsequent  operation 
of  hot-drawing  as  shown  at  E,  Fig.  4,  was  required,  which 
is  similar  to  that  described  in  the  first  method.  The  method 
just  described  was  used  chiefly  for  6-  and  8-inch  shrapnel 
and  projectile  forgings,  and  at  the  present  time  is  still  used 
for  3-  and  6-inch  shell  forgings.  It  requires  much  less 
power  and  turns  out  a  better  and  more  concentric  forging 
than  the  method  previously  described.  The  production  on 
8-inch  shells  is  about  180  in  ten  hours,  and  250  on  the 
3-inch  shell. 


FORGING   SHRAPNEL   SHELLS  27 

Later  Methods  of  Forging  Shrapnel  Shells. — The  in- 
creased demand  for  shrapnel  within  the  last  few  months 
has  been  instrumental  in  bringing  about  a  radical  improve- 
ment in  the  production  of  forged  shells.  Previously,  the 
aim  was  to  get  the  internal  diameter  as  close  as  possible  to 
the  finished  size  and  to  do  comparatively  little  machining 
on  it;  in  fact,  this  is  still,  in  a  great  number  of  cases,  one 
of  the  requirements.  While  at  first  glance  this  would  ap- 
pear to  be  the  logical  way  of  handling  the  work,  on  further 
investigation  it  is  found  that  the  forging  of  the  shell  to 
the  correct  size  is  much  more  expensive  than  to  leave  suffi- 
cient metal  to  machine  all  over.  In  the  first  place,  a  hy- 
draulic machine  of  100  tons  capacity  costs  considerably 
more  in  initial  outlay  than  a  turret  lathe,  and  in  the  second 
place  it  is  more  expensive  to  operate.  The  cheapest  method 
of  making  a  shrapnel  forging  is  to  rough-forge  it  to  ap- 
proximately the  correct  shape  and  then  finish  to  exact  shape 
and  diameter  in  turret  lathes  or  semi-automatic  chucking 
machines.  This  simplifies  the  forging  process  and  also  de- 
creases the  production  costs. 

One  of  the  later  methods  of  making  shrapnel  forgings 
is  shown  diagrammatically  in  Fig.  5.  A  billet  of  steel 
6%  inches  long  by  3  5/16  inches  in  diameter  is  heated  to  a 
temperature  of  from  1900  to  2100  degrees  F.,  and  then 
dropped  into  the  impression  in  the  die  a  held  in  a  special 
cast-steel  die-holder  b.  To  do  this,  die  a  is  drawn  out  from 
beneath  the  punch,  punch  guide  c  removed,  and  the  billet 
dropped  in.  Then  the  guide  is  replaced  and  the  die-holder 
slid  in  until  it  contacts  with  the  stop  d.  The  press  is  now 
operated,  and,  as  shown  at  B,  advances,  piercing  the  billet 
and  making  the  metal  flow  up  around  the  walls  of  the 
punch. 

The  punch  now  retreats,  carrying  the  centralizing  guide  c 
with  it.  The  die-holder  is  now  drawn  out  from  under  the 
punch  onto  a  bracket  projecting  from  the  bed  of  the  press. 
The  high-carbon  steel,  hardened  block  e  then  drops  out  of 
the  die,  as  is  also  the  case  with  the  finished  forging.  This 
block  e,  of  course,  is  heated  up  to  a  considerable  extent  due 
to  the  hot  metal  resting  on  it  so  that  several  blocks  of  this 


28  FORGING  SHRAPNEL  SHELLS 

kind  are  provided.  In  the  illustration,  as  shown  at  C,  cen- 
tralizing guide  c  is  shown  attached  to  the  punch.  In  actual 
operation  this  is  not  the  case.  When  the  punch  rises,  guide 
c  is  stripped  from  it  by  stripper  plate  /  so  that  the  guide 
is  gripped  with  tongs  and  laid  down  on  the  bed  of 
the  press  until  a  fresh  heated  billet  has  been  placed  in  the 
die  impression  ready  for  the  next  piercing.  The  punch  is 
made  from  special  hot  punching  steel  and  the  die  from 


Fig.    6.     Producing    Shrapnel     Forgings    in    a    750-ton    Hydraulic 
Forging   Press 

chilled  cast  iron.  The  production  of  forgings  by  this 
method  for  a  3-inch  shrapnel  shell  is  about  600  in  ten 
hours. 

The  amount  of  metal  left  for  machining  by  this  method 
varies  from  Vs  to  3/16  inch  on  the  internal  and  external 
diameters.  The  forging  after  annealing  is  then  machined 


FORGING  SHRAPNEL  SHELLS 


29 


inside  and  out  on  turret  lathes,  or  semi-automatic  chucking 
machines.  The  accepted  method  is  to  first  machine  the  in- 
ternal diameter  and  then  hold  the  shell  on  an  expanding 
arbor  and  machine  it  on  the  external  diameter. 

Producing  Shrapnel  Forgings  in  Hydraulic  Presses.  —  In 
the  foregoing  description  various  principles  of  making 
shrapnel  f orgings  were  described.  Owing  to  the  large  num- 
ber of  f  orgings  lately  required,  practically  all  types  of  forg- 
ing presses  and  power  forging  machines  have  been  used. 
Fig.  6  shows  how  one  manufacturer  is  solving  the  problem. 


Fig.   7. 


Piercing   Billets  for  Shrapnel   Forgings  in   a 
750-ton    Hydraulic   Forging   Press 


Wood' 


The  machine  used  is  an  R.  D.  Wood  Co.,  750-ton  hydraulic 
forging  press;  this  performs  both  the  billet  piercing  and 
drawing  operations.  The  forgings  turned  out  on  this  ma- 
chine are  for  the  British  18-pound  shell,  and  the  billet  is 
3%  inches  in  diameter  by  4i/2  inches  long.  The  first  oper- 
ation, piercing  the  billet,  is  done  by  the  punches  and  dies 
shown  in  Fig.  7.  The  billet  is  heated  in  a  furnace  to  a 
temperature  of  2000  degrees  F.,  and  then  quickly  removed 


FORGING  SHRAPNEL   SHELLS 


and  placed  in  the  dies.  The  press  is  now  operated,  pierc- 
ing two  billets  at  the  same  time.  The  pierced  billet  is  S1/^ 
inches  in  diameter  by  ?V&  inches  long. 

A  complete  batch  of  pierced  billets  is  first  put  through, 
then  the  pierced  billets  are  taken  to  the  furnace  again  and 
heated  to  2000  degrees  F.  The  punches  and  dies  in  the  cen- 
ter of  the  illustration  Fig.  8  are  used  for  finish-drawing  the 
forging  by  drawing  it  out  to  31/2  inches  in  diameter  by  11 
inches  long.  This  method  is  only  temporary  and  will  be 


Fig.  8.     Drawing  Shrapnel   Forgings  in   a  "Wood' 
Hydraulic    Forging    Press 


750-ton 


replaced  shortly  by  three  R.  D.  Wood  four-post  hydraulic 
presses.  The  piercing  operation  will  be  handled  on  one 
press  of  350  tons  capacity,  and  the  drawing  operations  on 
two  presses  of  200  tons  capacity. 

Making  Shrapnel  Forgings  in  Power  Forging  Machines. 
—  One  of  the  latest  developments  in  the  art  of  producing 
forgings  for  shrapnel  shells  is  the  adaptation  of  the  power 
forging  machine  to  this  work.  As  has  been  previously  men- 
tioned, there  are  several  methods  of  producing  shrapnel 


FORGING   SHRAPNEL   SHELLS 


31 


shells,  and  as  it  has  been  conclusively  proved  that  the  forged 
shell  is  superior  to  the  shell  made  from  bar  stock,  it  is  only 
natural  that  several  methods  for  making  the  f orgings  would 
be  developed.  In  the  forging  machine  method,  a  bar  slightly 
larger  than  the  finished  diameter  of  the  forging  is  cut  off, 
making  a  billet  about  5V&  inches  long.  This  billet,  for  a  3- 
inch  shell,  weighs  about  9%  to  91/2  pounds. 

The  billet  is  heated  to  a  white  heat  in  a  furnace,  the  tem- 
perature being  about  2000  degrees  F.,  depending  on  the  car- 
bon content  and  other  constituents  in  the  steel,  and  is  then 
placed  in  the  lower  impression  of  the  forging  die.  The 


Fig.   9.     Examples   of   Shrapnel    Forgings  turned   out   on   a    Power 
Forging    Machine 

machine  used  for  this  size  of  forging  is  a  standard  upset- 
ting and  forging  machine  provided  with  a  special  crank- 
shaft. Upon  being  operated,  the  lower  plunger,  which  is 
larger  than  the  diameter  of  the  powder  pocket  in  the  shell, 
advances  and  pierces  the  billet.  The  pierced  billet  is  then 
raised  to  the  next  impression,  and  the  machine  again  oper- 
ated. The  second  punch  is  longer  than  the  first  and  smaller 
in  diameter.  The  billet  is  forced  up  on  this  punch,  which 
reduces  it  in  diameter  and  increases  its  length.  After  the 
second  impression  the  partially  formed  shell  is  then  placed 
in  the  third  or  final  die  impression,  where  it  is  given  two 
blows,  being  given  one-half  turn  after  the  first  blow  to 
form  it  more  perfectly.  The  operations  just  enumerated 


32  FORGING  SHRAPNEL  SHELLS 

are  performed  in  one  heating  of  the  billet,  and  the  produc- 
tion of  a  3-inch  shell  ranges  from  400  to  450  in  ten  hours. 

The  dies  for  this  work  are,  of  course,  constructed  upon  a 
somewhat  different  principle  from  the  ordinary  forging 
die,  because  in  this  case  it  is  necessary  to  make  the  metal 
flow  up  on  the  punches.  The  dies,  therefore,  are  so  con- 
structed that  they  recede  as  the  punch  advances,  which 
tends  to  make  the  metal  flow  up  on  the  punch.  The  prac- 
ticability of  this  method  is  well  illustrated  by  the  samples 
shown  in  Fig.  9.  Here  D  is  the  rough  forging  just  as  it 
comes  from  the  machine,  with  the  exception  that  the  mouth 
has  been  trimmed.  C  is  a  section  of  a  shell  made  from 
low-carbon  steel  about  0.30  per  cent  carbon;  B  is  a  shell 
made  from  0.50  per  cent  carbon,  3%  per  cent  nickel  steel. 
This  has  been  rough-turned,  as  the  illustration  shows.  The 
homogeneity  of  the  forgings  is  clearly  indicated.  A  is  a 
forging  made  from  low-carbon  steel,  finish-turned. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  points  about  this  method  is 
its  cost  as  compared  with  shells  made  from  bar  stock.  To 
produce  a  3-inch  shell  from  bar  stock  requires  about  22 
pounds  of  material,  and  on  metal  costing  10  cents  per 
pound,  a  bar  shell — exclusive  of  machining — costs  $2.20; 
to  produce  the  same  shell  on  a  power  forging  machine  re- 
quires about  9%  to  9%  pounds,  and  figuring  on  10  cents 
per  pound  the  cost  for  the  material  is  only  $1 — a  saving  of 
$1.20  on  each  shell.  Furthermore,  the  production  of  shells 
from  bar  stock  on  automatic  machines  is  about  twelve  to 
fifteen  per  day.  The  number  of  forgings  that  can  be 
turned  out  in  the  same  time  is  400  to  450,  and  the  number 
that  can  be  machined  in  this  time  varies  from  forty  to 
fifty  for  two  operations.  It  is  therefore  evident  that  the 
production  of  shells  by  forging  is  far  superior  to  the  bar 
method,  and  the  forged  shell  is  more  satisfactory  from 
every  standpoint. 

Forging  Shrapnel  in  a  Power  Press.  —  Another  interest- 
ing development  in  the  forging  line  is  shown  diagrammati- 
cally  in  Fig.  10.  This  method  comprises  three  operations, 
and  is  handled  in  a  No.  80!/2  Bliss  press  capable  of  exert- 
ing a  pressure  of  1200  tons.  A  billet  3*4  inches  in  diame- 


FORGING  SHRAPNEL  SHELLS 


33 


ter  by  3%  inches  long  is  heated  in  a  furnace  to  1976  degrees 
F.  and  then  quickly  placed  in  the  die  shown  at  A.  The 
press  is  operated,  and  the  punch  in  descending  pierces  the 
billet,  being  guided  by  the  guide  a,  as  shown  at  B,  which 


Machinery 


Fig.    10.     Diagram    illustrating    Method    of   piercing    and    drawing 
Shrapnel    Forgings    in    a    Bliss    Power    Press 


34  FORGING   SHRAPNEL   SHELLS 

also  acts  as  a  stripper.  The  forging  retains  its  heat  to  a 
certain  extent  after  this  operation,  the  temperature  being 
about  from  1380  to  1425  degrees  F.  This  is  sufficient  to 
perform  the  second  minor  operation  which,  as  shown  at  C 
and  D,  consists  in  forcing  the  heated  billet  into  the  die- 
block  to  reduce  the  diameter  of  the  lower  end  and  facilitate 
the  succeeding  operation.  This  reducing  operation  is  per- 
formed with  the  same  type  of  punch  as  is  used  in  the  suc- 
ceeding operation,  and  the  die-block  is  simply  laid  on  top 
of  a  bolster  while  the  reducing  is  being  done. 

The  final  forming  or  drawing  of  the  forging  is  accom- 
plished as  shown  at  E  and  F,  the  same  type  of  press,  viz., 
a  Bliss  No.  80  V£  power  press,  being  used  for  this  purpose. 
The  pierced  billet  is  now  heated  to  1976  degress  F.,  and 
is  then  forced  through  the  three  drawing  dies  b,  c  and  d, 
by  the  punch  e.  The  first  die  is  3  5/16  inches  in  diameter 
and  reduces  the  forging  from  3%  inches  to  this  size.  The 
second  is  3  7/32,  and  the  third,  or  last,  3Vs  inches  in  diame- 
ter. The  forging,  after  being  forced  through  the  dies,  is 
stripped  from  the  punch  by  plates  /,  and  as  it  still  retains 
a  temperature  of  1475  degrees  F. — sufficient  for  annealing 
— is  thrown  down  on  the  sand  to  cool  off.  The  billet  pierc- 
ing and  drawing  dies,  shown  in  the  illustration,  were  made 
from  50-point  carbon  steel,  hardened.  This  gave  fair  re- 
sults, although  chilled  cast-iron  dies  would  prove  even  more 
satisfactory.  The  punches  were  made  from  several  differ- 
ent materials  such  as  chrome-vanadium,  70-point  carbon 
steel,  and  unannealed  malleable  casting.  Of  the  three  ma- 
terials, the  latter  gave  the  most  satisfactory  results,  in  that 
pitting  was  reduced  to  a  minimum.  Of  course,  it  was  nec- 
essary to  grind  the  malleable  casting  to  shape. 

Flow  of  Hot  Metal  When  Pierced. —  In  the  manufacture 
of  shrapnel  shell  forgings,  the  first  operation  is  that  of 
piercing,  and  to  accomplish  this  satisfactorily,  it  is  neces- 
sary to  understand  the  action  of  a  piercing  punch  on  a 
semi-plastic  billet  of  steel.  There  are  certain  fundamental 
laws  governing  the  flow  of  metals  under  pressure  and  a 
study  of  these  is  of  exceptional  interest.  An  attempt  has 
been  made  in  Fig.  11  to  illustrate  diagrammatically  some  of 


FORGING   SHRAPNEL   SHELLS 


35 


the  principles  involved,  and  in  the  following  discussion  it 
should  be  understood  that  the  billet  is  made  from  50-point 
carbon,  60-point  manganese  steel,  6i/2  by  3  5/16  inches  in 
diameter. 

At  A  a  round-end  tapered  punch  is  shown  in  contact 
with  the  heated  billet,  and  the  lines  show  the  possible  flow 
of  the  metal,  i.  e.,  the  material  commences  to  "pack"  at 
the  end  of  the  punch.  In  this  case  the  walls  of  the  die  are 


Fig.  11.   Diagram  illustrating  Flow  of  Hot  Metal  while  being  pierced 

straight.  At  B  the  billet  is  being  pierced,  and  the  result- 
ant effect  on  the  flow  of  the  metal  is  indicated.  Here  it 
will  be  seen  that  the  pressure  increases  as  the  punch  de- 
scends, because  of  the  wedging  action  on  the  metal  and 
the  friction  between  the  surfaces  of  the  sides  of  the  punch 
and  die.  The  pressure  on  the  end  of  a  punch  of  this  shape 
is  about  20,000  pounds  per  square  inch. 

By  leaving  the  sides  of  the  die  of  the  same  shape  as  at  B, 
but  making  the  end  of  the  punch  square  instead  of  round 


36  FORGING  SHRAPNEL  SHELLS 

and  not  tapered,  different  action  is  caused.  When  the  flat 
punch,  as  shown  at  (7,  first  contacts  with  the  metal,  the 
pressure  required  is  greater  than  at  A,  but  as  soon  as  the 
metal  commences  to  flow  as  at  Z),  the  pressure  decreases. 
For  instance,  suppose  the  pressure  required  at  B  to  pierce 
the  billet  was  100  tons ;  on  the  same  material  at  D,  the  re- 
quired pressure  would  be  only  70  tons — a  decrease  of  30 
per  cent.  The  metal,  however,  does  not  follow  the  sides 
of  the  punch  as  closely  at  D  as  at  B,  and  this  accounts  in 
part  for  the  reduction  of  power  required.  The  action  of 
hot  flowing  metal  on  the  face  of  a  square  punch  is  just  the 
reverse  of  what  would  naturally  be  expected.  Instead  of 


Fig.   12.     Shrapnel   Shell    Head  and   Diaphragm   produced   in 
a    Power   Forging    Machine 

the  punch  wearing  away  at  the  edge,  the  center  first  shows 
signs  of  wear  as  indicated  at  e.  Seams  are  opened  up  in 
a  radial  direction  caused  by  the  hot  metal  attacking  the 
softest  parts  in  the  face  of  the  punch. 

Again,  a  different  condition  exists  to  that  shown  at  B 
and  D,  when  both  the  die  and  the  punch  are  tapered  as 
shown  at  E.  Here  the  friction  of  the  extruded  metal  on  the 
walls  of  the  die  and  sides  of  the  punch  is  excessive,  and  it 
is  practically  impossible  to  produce  a  satisfactorily  pierced 
billet  in  this  manner.  From  a  theoretical  standpoint,  the 
conditions  shown  at  F  are  ideal.  Here  the  sides  of  the 


FORGING   SHRAPNEL  SHELLS 


37 


punch  are  straight,  the  end  flat,  and  the  walls  of  the  die 
taper  or  increase  in  diameter  toward  the  bottom.  In  this 
case  the  friction  of  the  flowing  metal  is  greatly  reduced 
because  of  the  lessening  of  the  wedging  action.  Other  con- 
siderations, however,  make  this  method  impracticable. 

A  still  greater  reduction  in  the  pressure  necessary  to 
pierce  a  billet  is  shown  at  G.     Here  a  square  billet  instead 


Fig.  13.     Diagram  illustrating  Method  of  producing  Shrapnel  Shell 

Heads  in  a  Power  Forging   Machine  without  any 

Waste  of  Stock 

of  a  round  one  is  being  pierced.  In  the  plan  view  it  will 
be  noticed  that  the  friction  on  the  walls  of  the  die  is  greatly 
reduced,  and  the  pressure  continues  low  until  the  extruded 
billet  contacts  all  around  with  the  surface  of  the  die.  The 
completed  product,  however,  is  inferior  to  that  made  from 
a  round  billet.  From  the  previous  remarks,  it  will  be  seen 
that  a  punch  and  die  that  would  best  meet  the  requirements 


38 


FORGING   SHRAPNEL   SHELLS 


is  one  having  a  rounded  end  as  at  B,  straight  sides  as  at  D, 
and  straight  walls  in  the  die.  The  most  satisfactory  punch 
and  die  for  piercing  shrapnel  f orgings  when  all  the  variable 
conditions  are  considered  would  be  as  shown  at  H. 

Forging  the  Shrapnel  Head. —  The  shrapnel  head  shown 
at  A  in  Fig.  12,  that  screws  into  the  end  of  the  shell  and  in- 


A    LJ 


STOP 

—6 


-BAR  STOCK 


Machinery 


Fig.    14.     Diagram    illustrating    Method   of   making   Shrapnel    Shell 
Diaphragms   in   a   Special   Type   of   Power   Forging    Machine 

to  which  the  fuse  body  is  screwed,  is  made  from  a  forging 
of  low-carbon  steel  for  the  French  shell.  One  method  of 
producing  this,  which  is  of  unusual  interest,  is  shown  in 
Fig.  13.  A  power-driven  forging  machine  equipped  with  a 
special  set  of  tools  is  used  for  this  purpose.  A  bar  of  steel 
of  the  same  diameter  as  the  hole  in  the  finished  forging, 


FORGING  SHRAPNEL   SHELLS  39 

in  this  case  li/a  inch,  is  gripped  in  the  dies  as  shown  at  A, 
and  is  upset  by  means  of  a  plunger  a,  forming  an  upset  on 
the  end  of  the  bar  shown  to  the  right.  The  upset  bar  is 
now  placed  in  the  second  impression  of  the  gripping  dies, 
as  shown  at  B.  By  way  of  explanation,  it  should  be  stated 
that  the  views  of  the  dies  shown  at  A,  B,  and  C  are  sec- 
tions taken  in  a  horizontal  plane  at  each  stage  or  die  im- 
pression. Upon  gripping  the  upset  forging  in  the  second 
impression  in  the  dies,  the  plunger  b  advances  and  forms 
an  annular  groove  in  the  face  of  the  forging,  at  the  same 
time  increasing  its  width  as  shown  at  c. 

The  forging,  still  integral  with  the  bar,  is  now  quickly 
removed  and  placed  in  the  last  impression  of  the  dies. 
The  diameter  of  the  hole  in  these  dies  is  larger  than  the  bar, 
allowing  it  to  slip  back  as  the  punch  advances  to  punch 
the  hole  in  the  forging.  When  the  punch  moves  forward 
it  carries  with  it  the  spring-operated  sleeve  d,  thus  finish- 
ing the  forging  in  one  heat.  This  method  of  forging  is 
very  satisfactory,  producing  a  homogeneous  forging  at  the 
rate  of  1500  in  ten  hours. 

Forging  the  Steel  Diaphragm.  —  The  steel  diaphragm 
shown  at  B  in  Fig.  12  is  made  from  low-carbon  steel  in  a 
special  type  of  forging  machine  operated  similarly  to  a 
hot-pressed  nut  machine.  That  is  to  say,  the  bar,  instead 
of  being  fed  in  from  the  front,  as  in  a  regular  forging  ma- 
chine, is  fed  in  from  the  side.  The  manner  in  which  this 
is  accomplished  is  shown  in  Fig.  14.  A  flat  bar  of  steel 
2%  inches  wide  by  %  inch  thick,  heated  to  the  proper  tem- 
perature for  a  distance  of  three  feet,  is  fed  across  the  face 
of  the  die  as  at  A  and  located  by  stop  b.  Punch  c  then 
advances  and  cuts  out  a  blank  of  the  required  diameter, 
forcing  it  into  the  die,  as  shown  at  B.  The  metal  is  now 
confined  between  the  faces  of  punches  d  and  c  and  in  die  a, 
and  is  forged  to  the  required  shape.  The  next  step  is  shown 
at  C,  where  punch  d  advances  and  forces  the  formed  forg- 
ing out  of  the  die.  The  production  on  this  diaphragm  is 
in  the  neighborhood  of  from  8000  to  10,000  in  ten  hours. 


CHAPTER  III 

MACHINING  AND  HEAT-TREATMENT  OF  SHRAPNEL 

SHELLS 

SHRAPNEL  shells  are  manufactured  either  from  bar 
stock  or  forgings.  The  bar-stock  method,  however,  is  not 
considered  as  satisfactory  as  forging  because  of  piping,  so 
that  the  greater  number  of  shrapnel  shells  made  at  the 
present  time  are  turned  out  from  forgings.  The  first  step, 
therefore,  in  the  making  of  a  shrapnel  shell  is  to  cut  off  a 
billet  of  the  required  length  from  a  bar  of  steel  of  the  nec- 


Fig.   1.     Shrapnel   Shells  in  Various  Stages  of   Manufacture 

essary  constituents.  In  the  making  of  an  18-pound  shrap- 
nel shell,  the  billet  is  cut  off  from  a  bar  of  46-point  carbon, 
60-point  manganese  steel  in  machines  of  different  types. 
One  way  of  doing  this,  as  shown  in  Fig.  2,  is  to  use  a  New- 
ton cutting-off  machine  having  an  air  clamp  for  holding 
the  bar  in  place  while  it  is  being  cut  off.  A  Hunter  duplex 
saw,  as  shown  in  the  illustration,  provided  with  high-speed 
steel  inserted  teeth,  performs  the  cutting  operation.  The 
billet  for  an  18-pound  shrapnel  shell  is  31/2  inches  in  diame- 

40 


MACHINING  AND  HEAT-TREATMENT  41 

ter  by  4^  inches  long.     It  is  then  forged  to  shape,  as  has 
been  previously  explained. 

Assuming  that  the  forging  has  been  completed,  the  fol- 
lowing is  a  complete  summary  of  the  machining  operations 
on  the  shell  up  to  the  point  of  assembling.  In  one  plant 
where  this  work  is  being  done,  the  shrapnel  shells  are 
put  through  in  lots  of  120,  each  lot  being  kept  in  three 
boxes,  forty  shells  to  a  box.  Out  of  every  120,  one  shell 
after  heat-treatment  is  tested  for  tensile  strength.  The 
tensile  strength  before  heat-treatment  must  be  from  30,000 
to  40,000  pounds  per  square  inch,  and  from  80,000  to  90,000 


Fig.  2.     Cutting  off   Billets  for  making   Shrapnel    Forgings   in   a 
Newton    Cutting-off    Machine 

pounds  per  square  inch  after  heat-treatment.  For  facili- 
tating transportation,  trucks  of  various  designs  are  used. 
One  type  of  truck  used  for  this  purpose  is  shown  in  Fig.  3. 
This  is  built  by  the  Chapman  Double  Ball  Bearing  Co.  of 
Canada,  Ltd.,  Toronto,  Ontario,  and  has  some  interesting 
features,  the  chief  of  which  are  the  ball-bearing  swiveling 
head,  ball-bearing  wheels,  and  the  means  of  releasing  or 
raising  the  load  with  the  handle  in  any  position.  This 
feature  is  valuable  in  using  the  truck  in  a  crowded  space. 

Trimming  and  Facing  the  Shell  Forging. —  The  first  ma- 
chining operation  on  the  forged  shell  is  to  cut  off  the  rag- 


42 


MACHINING  AND  HEAT-TREATMENT 


ged  end,  which  is  generally  from  i/2  to  li/2  inch  longer 
than  that  required  for  the  finished  shell.  This  operation 
is  performed  in  many  different  ways,  but  one  of  the  most 
common  is  to  place  it  in  a  Hurlbut-Rogers  cutting-off 
machine  as  shown  in  Fig.  4.  For  performing  the  cutting- 
off  operation,  two  plain  forged  cutting-off  tools  made  from 
"Sabine"  extra  high-speed  steel  are  used.  The  forging  is 
located  in  the  proper  position  in  the  chuck  by  a  plunger  or 
stop  A,  sliding  in  a  fixture  B  clamped  to  the  base  of  the 
machine.  This  plunger  locates  the  shell  from  the  bottom 
of  the  hole  or  powder  pocket  and  forces  the  shell  into  the 


Fig.    3.     Truck    built    by   the    Chapman    Double    Ball    Bearing    Co. 
for   transferring    Shrapnel    Shells    about    the    Shop 

chuck  against  the  resistance  of  an  open-wound  spring.  The 
stop  is  then  located  by  a  gage  C  that  forms  a  member  of 
the  fixture  and  fitting  ring  D  on  the  stop.  The  chuck  jaws 
are  now  clamped  on  the  work  and  the  cutting  off  com- 
mences. As  soon  as  the  excess  stock  is  cut  off,  the  stop 
is  drawn  back  and  the  pressure  of  the  jaws  on  the  work 
released;  the  spring  in  the  chuck  then  ejects  the  forging. 
The  production  of  an  18-pound  shell  from  one  machine  is 
about  140  in  eight  hours. 

The  next  roughing  operation  is  to  face  off  the  bottom  or 
closed  end  of  the  forging,  bringing  the  shell  to  approxi- 


MACHINING  AND  HEAT-TREATMENT 


43 


mately  the  correct  length.  There  are  also  many  ways  of 
performing  this  operation.  One  method  is  to  grip  the  forg- 
ing in  a  chuck,  as  shown  in  Fig.  5,  in  an  ordinary  lathe 
and  face  off  the  end  with  a  high-speed  steel  tool  held  in  an 
Armstrong  tool-holder.  From  14  to  %  inch  is  faced  off 
from  the  end. 


Fig 


Cutting   off    Excess    Length    of   Shrapnel    Forging    in 
Hurlbut-Rogers    Cutting-off    Machine 


Fig.   5.     Facing   off   Closed    End   of   Shell   to    Length 

Rough-turning  Operations  on  Shrapnel  Forging.  —  Prac- 
tically every  type  of  engine  lathe  and  turret  lathe  as  well 
as  special  machines  are  used  for  turning  and  boring  shrap- 
nel forgings,  and  in  the  following  chapter  each  method 
will  be  dealt  with  separately.  Before  doing  this,  however, 


34  MACHINING  AND  HEAT-TREATMENT 

a  complete  summary  of  the  methods  of  machining  employed 
in  a  large  plant  turning  out  shrapnel  will  be  described. 
In  this  plant,  the  first  rough-turning  operation  is  handled 
on  a  flat  turret  lathe,  as  shown  in  Fig.  6.  For  this  purpose, 
the  shell  forging  is  held  on  an  expanding  arbor  and  is 
driven  by  a  dog  fastened  to  it  and  driven  by  the  faceplate 
of  the  lathe.  A  multiple  tool  turner  is  first  brought  into 
position  and  takes  a  cut  of  about  %  inch  from  the  diame- 
ter for  practically  the  entire  length  of  the  shell.  The  next 
tool  then  faces  off  the  end  of  the  shell  to  length. 


Fig.   6.     First    Rough-turning   Operation   on   Shrapnel    Shell 
in   a   Flat  Turret   Lathe 

The  shell  forging  is  now  ready  for  cutting  the  rifling 
band  groove  and  producing  the  waves.  This  is  handled  in 
an  ordinary  engine  lathe  equipped  with  a  special  fixture, 
carrying  grooving,  waving  and  under-cutting  tools.  The 
shell  forging,  as  shown  in  Fig.  7,  is  held  in  a  chuck  at 
one  end  and  supported  by  a  revolving  center  at  the  other. 
One  part  of  the  fixture  is  clamped  to  the  bed  of  the  lathe 
and  the  other  to  the  carriage.  The  grooving  and  ribbing 
is  accomplished  with  a  tool  held  in  holder  A  at  the  front 
of  the  lathe,  whereas  the  two  under-cutting  tools  are  held  in 
holders  D  and  E  at  the  rear  of  the  lathe.  In  operation 
the  carriage  of  the  lathe  is  moved  toward  the  chuck,  carry- 


MACHINING  AND  HEAT-TREATMENT  45 

ing  the  fixture  to  which  are  fastened  cams  C,  F,  and  G. 
Cam  C  forces  in  the  holder  carrying  the  combination  groov- 
ing and  ribbing  tool,  whereas  cams  F  and  G  force  in  the 
holders  carrying  the  two  under-cutting  tools,  these  being 
presented  at  an  angle  to  the  work.  The  required  oscilla- 
tions to  the  slide  carrying  the  grooving  and  ribbing  tool 
are  secured  through  a  face-cam  B  clamped  to  a  "Whiten" 
chuck.  The  face-cam  operates  against  the  tension  of 
spring  H  and  gives  the  required  oscillations  to  the  tool- 
slide  carrying  the  ribbing  and  grooving  tool,  shown  at  A. 
The  third  machining  operation  is  accomplished  in  a  flat 
turret  lathe,  as  illustrated  in  Fig.  8.  This  consists  in  fac- 


Fig.   7.     Cutting   the    Rifling    Band   Groove  with   a   Special 
Grooving  and   Ribbing  Attachment  on   an   Engine   Lathe 

ing  the  open  end  of  the  shell,  boring  the  powder  pocket  and 
facing  and  boring  the  diaphragm  seat,  and  also  turning 
the  angular  surface  on  the  external  nose  of  the  shell.  First, 
a  roughing  drill  is  brought  in  to  rough  out  the  powder 
pocket.  The  turret  is  then  indexed  and  a  tool  for  turning 
the  angle  of  the  nose  is  brought  into  position.  The  machin- 
ing on  the  nose  is  then  accomplished  by  operating  the  cross- 
sliding  head.  Then  a  roughing  cutter  is  brought  in  to 
rough-bore  the  powder  pocket.  The  turret  is  again  indexed 
and  a  finishing  tool  is  brought  in  to  finish  the  powder  pocket 
and  face  the  diaphragm  seat.  This  finishes  the  machining 
operations  on  the  shell  previous  to  heat-treatment. 


46 


MACHINING  AND  HEAT-TREATMENT 


Fig.  8.     Third  Machining  Operation  on  Shrapnel  Shell  in  a  Flat  Turret  Lathe, 

consisting   in    Facing  the  Open   End   of  the   Shell,    Boring  the   Powder 

Pocket,  Facing  and   Boring  the  Diaphragm  Seat,  and  Turning 

the  Angular  Surface  on  the   External   Nose  of  the  Shell 


Fig.  9.     Heat-treating   Shrapnel    Shells,   using   a    Hoskins   Electric 
Barium-chloride    Bath    Furnace 


MACHINING  AND  HEAT-TREATMENT  47 

Heat-treating  Shrapnel  Shells. —  As  was  previously  stat- 
ed, the  tensile  strength  of  a  forged  shrapnel  shell  after 
heat-treatment  must  be  from  80,000  to  90,000  pounds  per 
square  inch,  and  in  order  to  obtain  the  desired  physical 
qualities,  it  is  necessary  that  the  heat-treating  operations 
be  properly  conducted.  Several  methods  of  heat-treating 
employing  different  cooling  solutions  are  used  in  the  manu- 
facturing plants  making  shrapnel  shells.  One  method,  as 


Fig.    10.     Testing    Hardness   of   Shrapnel    Shells   with 
Shore  Scleroscope 

shown  in  Fig.  9,  is  to  heat  the  shell  in  a  Hoskins  electric 
furnace  that  contains  a  barium-chloride  bath,  heated  to  a 
temperature  of  about  1480  degrees  F.  The  shells  are  left 
in  this  furnace  for  half  an  hour  and  are  taken  out  and 
dipped  in  a  bath  of  cotton-seed  oil  heated  to  a  temperature 
of  113  degrees  F.  The  temperature  to  which  the  shell  is 
heated  varies  with  the  different  constituents  of  the  steel 
and  practically  every  different  batch  of  120  shells  requires 


48  MACHINING  AND  HEAT-TREATMENT 

a  slightly  different  temperature.  The  proper  temperature 
is  determined  by  cutting  out  a  section  of  a  heat-treated 
shell  and  testing  it  for  tensile  strength.  The  next  step  is 
to  draw  the  temper  on  the  open  end  of  the  shell.  In  this 
operation  a  muffle  gas  furnace  heated  to  a  temperature  of 
about  1000  degrees  F.,  is  used.  The  temper  is  drawn  for 
about  two-thirds  of  the  length  of  the  shrapnel  shells. 

Testing  for  Hardness  and  Tensile  Strength.  —  One  shell 
from  a  batch  of  120  is  now  cut  open  in  the  proximity  of 
the  powder  pocket  and  the  cut-out  section  sent  to  the  gov- 
ernment inspectors  to  test  it  for  tensile  strength.  Each 
one  of  the  shells  in  the  batch,  in  addition,  is  tested  for 
hardness  by  a  Shore  scleroscope  as  shown  in  Fig.  10.  Be- 
fore testing  for  hardness,  the  shell  near  the  band  groove  is 
polished  so  as  to  get  a  true  reading,  then  placed  in  a  fixture, 
and  the  hammer  of  the  scleroscope  allowed  to  drop  on  it. 
The  reading  should  be  between  40  and  50,  indicating  an 
elastic  limit  of  from  80,000  to  90,000  pounds  per  square 
inch.  The  shell  must  not  be  ruptured  at  the  point  tested 
when  the  charge  in  it  is  exploded  or  when  the  charge  in  the 
case  is  set  off.  Should  the  shell  upset  near  the  rifling  band 
groove  when  it  is  propelled  out  of  the  gun,  it  would  tear 
out  the  rifling  in  the  bore  of  the  gun. 

Experience  with  the  scleroscope  has  disclosed  the  exist- 
ence of  a  fairly  definite  relation  between  the  hardness  and 
strength  of  metal.  In  determining  the  strength  of  metal, 
two  stages  are  recognized:  First,  the  elastic  limit,  deter- 
mined by  the  load  required  to  produce  a  permanent  set; 
second,  the  ultimate  strength,  determined  by  the  load  re- 
quired to  cause  rupture.  The  hardness  indicated  by  the 
scleroscope  is  intimately  related  to  the  elastic  limit.  The 
elastic  limit  increases  more  rapidly  than  the  hardness  from 
43  to  45,  this  being  the  minimum  index  of  the  strength  value 
required.  As  an  elongation  of  8  per  cent  in  2  inches  is 
also  required,  there  must  necessarily  be  an  upper  limit  to 
the  hardness.  On  the  steel  used  for  shrapnel,  which  is 
generally  about  50-point  carbon  and  60-point  manganese, 
the  maximum  hardness  should  not  be  over  60  on  the 
scleroscope. 


MACHINING  AND  HEAT-TREATMENT 


49 


Tests  relating  to  Heat-treatment  of  Shells.  — In  the 
September,  1915,  number  of  MACHINERY,  Mr.  J.  M.  Wilson, 
who  has  been  actively  engaged  in  heat-treating  shells  since 
the  beginning  of  the  war,  and  who  has  had  to  rely  entirely 
upon  his  own  resources  in  meeting  and  overcoming  the 
troubles  which  seemed  to  arise  on  all  sides,  relates  the 
results  of  his  experiments. 

The  British  government  shell  specifications  call  for  a 
yield  point  or  elastic  limit,  after  heat-treating,  of  not  less 
than  36  tons  per  square  inch,  a  breaking  point  or  ultimate 


Machinery 


Fig.  11.     Cross-sectional  View  of  Shrapnel  Shell  showing  Points 

A,   B,   and   C  where  Tests  are   made,  and   one  of  the 

Tensile    Test    Samples 

strength  not  less  than  56  tons  per  square  inch,  and  an 
elongation  not  less  than  8  per  cent  in  %  inch.  Officially 
there  is  no  maximum  specified  for  either  of  those  three 
physical  characteristics ;  but  as  a  matter  of  fact  any  unus- 
ual condition  which  is  not  in  conformity  with  recognized 
metallurgical  practice  may  cause  the  chief  government  in- 
spector for  the  district  in  which  the  manufacturer  is  located 
to  reject  a  shipment.  Reference  has  been  made  to  certain 
points  in  the  shell  which  must  resist  the  strains  due  to 
firing.  The  nature  of  these  strains  and  condition  of  the 
steel  best  suited  to  meet  them  will  be  understood  from 
Fig.  11,  which  shows  a  cross-section  of  the  British  18- 
pound  shrapnel  shell.  When  a  shell  is  fired  from  a  gun, 
the  base  A  is  subjected  to  a  blow,  i.  e.,  a  sudden  increase 
of  pressure  which  almost  instantly  attains  a  maximum  of 
from  12  to  14  tons  per  square  inch,  and  imparts  the  initial 
velocity  to  the  shell.  The  shell,  being  a  body  at  rest,  op- 


50  MACHINING  AND  HEAT-TREATMENT 

poses  this  velocity  with  its  own  inertia,  the  result  being 
that  both  compressive  and  tensile  strains  are  set  up  in  the 
shell  body.  The  shell  body  assumes  the  conditions  of  a 
column  which  has  a  compressive  load  varying  from  noth- 
ing at  the  nose  to  a  maximum  at  the  base.  The  tensile 
load  is  due  to  the  inertia  of  the  bullets  inside  the  shell. 
These  bullets  are  subject  to  an  increasing  compressive  load 
from  the  top  down,  the  resultant  strain  being  a  bursting 
effort  which  attains  a  maximum  in  the  region  of  the  point 
B,  known  as  the  "set-up  point." 

When  the  time  required  for  the  fuse  to  act  has  elapsed, 
the  powder  charge  is  exploded,  and  the  contents  of  the  shell 
are  blown  forward  in  the  usual  manner.  The  contents  are 
released  either  by  the  stripping  of  the  thread  of  the  brass 
socket,  or  else  the  walls  of  the  shell  yield  at  the  point  C, 
opening  the  threads  sufficiently  to  free  the  socket.  At  A, 
(the  base)  the  shell  must  be  perfectly  sound  and  free  from 
flaws  such  as  minute  cracks,  etc.,  which  may  allow  the 
flame  from  the  firing  charge  to  strike  through  with  disas- 
trous results  to  the  shell  and  gun.  The  metal  in  the  base 
must  not  be  too  hard  or  it  may  fracture  under  the  pressure 
of  the  explosion,  and  it  must  not  be  too  soft  or  it  may 
flatten  out  and  spoil  the  rifling  in  the  bore.  At  the  point  B 
there  is  no  maximum  requirement  so  far  as  tensile  strength 
is  concerned,  but  any  abnormal  strength  is  viewed  with 
suspicion  unless  it  is  accompanied  by  a  generous  elongation. 
At  B  the  metal  is  particularly  liable  to  distension  while  the 
shell  is  acquiring  velocity,  and  unless  the  shell  is  strong 
enough  to  resist  the  sudden  bursting  strain,  and  the  amount 
of  elongation  is  sufficient  to  cushion  or  absorb  this  strain  at 
the  instant  of  firing,  the  shell  is  liable  to  take  a  permanent 
set  in  the  region  of  point  B,  with  results  mentioned  above, 
The  shell  must  not  be  too  hard  at  the  point  C  as  it  may 
burst,  thus  neutralizing  the  real  object  of  a  shrapnel  shell 
which  is  to  project  the  bullets  forward  with  increased 
velocity  at  the  predetermined  instant,  being  in  fact  an  aerial 
gun  arranged  to  discharge  its  contents  at  any  desired  point 
of  its  flight. 


MACHINING  AND  HEAT-TREATMENT  51 

Uniformity  of  Steel  for  Shrapnel.  —  Having  these  re- 
quirements firmly  established  in  his  mind,  the  heat-treating 
expert  is  now  confronted  with  a  double  problem:  How 
is  it  possible  to  give  steel  the  suitable  strength ;  and  having 
done  so,  how  is  it  possible  to  know  that  the  desired  result 
has  been  obtained,  without  actually  making  test  pieces  from 
each  shell.  The  principal  condition  upon  which  successful 
heat-treating  depends  is  uniformity  of  material.  Carbon 
and  manganese  are  the  principal  substances  which  influence 
the  results.  The  exact  composition  of  steel  specified  by 
the  government  is  not  given  to  any  manufacturers  other 
than  steelmakers.  It  is,  however,  generally  understood  to 
be  a  0.50  per  cent  carbon,  0.60  per  cent  manganese  steel. 
Allowing  five  points  variation  in  carbon  and  ten  points 
variation  in  manganese,  the  requirements  would  be  ap- 
proximately 0.45  to  0.55  per  cent  carbon  and  0.50  to  0.70 
per  cent  manganese.  In  one  carload  of  forgings,  one  firm 
received  shells  from  23  different  heats  or  melts,  with  carbon 
varying  from  0.60  to  0.47  per  cent,  and  manganese  varying 
from  0.63  to  0.49  per  cent,  with  all  possible  combinations 
and  proportions  between  these  limits.  The  number  of 
forgings  supplied  from  each  heat  varied  from  one  up  to 
1200  so  that  the  question  of  determining  the  best  tempera- 
ture for  each  carbon  content  was  indeed  quite  impracticable. 
Many  manufacturers  at  the  present  moment  may  be  in  a 
similar  position,  and  the  gravity  of  the  situation,  both  from 
a  financial  and  a  military  point  of  view,  may  justify  a 
somewhat  detailed  description  of  the  method  which  was 
followed  in  treating  shells  of  such  varying  composition. 

Results  of  Tests.  —  It  is  generally  known  to  manufac- 
turers that  the  highest  tensile  strength  of  steel  is  obtained 
by  cooling  it  rapidly  from  a  temperature  slightly  higher 
than  the  decalescent  point  or  critical  temperature.  The 
degree  of  hardness  resulting  from  this  operation  can  be 
ascertained  quickly,  accurately,  and  repeatedly  by  means 
of  the  scleroscope.  The  degree  of  hardness  thus  shown  is 
a  reliable  indication  of  the  probable  strength  of  the  mate- 
rial; that  is  to  say,  after  making  due  allowance  for  differ- 
ent makes  of  steel  and  varying  proportions  of  the  principal 


52 


MACHINING  AND  HEAT-TREATMENT 


constituents,  the  scleroscope  readings  are  a  reliable  indica- 
tion of  the  results  which  may  be  expected  when  a  tensile 
test  is  made  of  any  given  shell.  In  the  opening  months  of 
the  shell  business,  considerable  reliance  was  placed  on  the 
accurate  determination  of  the  decalescence  point.  Forg- 
ings  of  varying  analysis  were  received;  the  carbon  being 
from  0.48  to  0.53  per  cent,  and  the  manganese  from  0.54  to 
0.69  per  cent.  All  steels  whose  composition  was  within 
those  limits  showed  a  decalescence  point  of  between  1390 
and  1425  degrees  F.,  and  when  quenched  in  water  at  50 
degrees  F.  above  the  decalescence  point,  such  steels  would 
have  a  scleroscope  hardness  number  as  high  as  85;  but 
when  quenched  in  ordinary  fish  oil  the  hardness  was  only 
slightly  over  50,  the  sample  being  1  inch  square  and  Vs 

TABLE  I.     RESULTS   OF  TESTS  TO  DETERMINE   THE  BEST   QUENCHING  MEDIUM 
FOR   SHRAPNEL    SHELLS 


Quenching 
temperature, 
degrees    F. 

Quenching 
medium 

Temperature   of 
quenching 
medium,  degrees  F. 

Scleroscope 
hardness    No. 

1475 

Fish    oil  

90 

50  to  55 

1475 

Coal  oil 

90 

65  to  70 

1475 
1475 
1475 
1475 

Cottonseed  oil.. 
Engine  oil  
Oil  of  degras  .  . 
Water  

90 
90 
90 
90 

70  to  75 
75  to  80 
77  to  85 
82  to  87 

Machinery 

inch  thick.  A  complete  shell  quenched  in  fish  oil  would 
show  a  scleroscope  hardness  number  at  the  set-up  point  of 
from  38  to  40.  Test  pieces  from  such  a  shell  failed  to  reach 
the  minimum  breaking  strength  of  56  tons  by  the  narrow 
margin  of  0.6  ton,  and  this  failure  brought  up  the  ques- 
tion of  which  was  the  best  quenching  medium.  A  series 
of  experiments  gave  the  results  presented  in  Table  I;  all 
conditions  were  equal  in  each  test,  and  the  test  pieces  were 
all  made  from  the  same  forging. 

From  the  results  of  the  tests  presented  in  Table  I,  oil  of 
degras,  commercially  known  as  "No  2  soluble  quenching 
oil,"  was  selected  as  the  quenching  medium  and  operations 
were  commenced  on  forgings  supplied  from  two  separate 
heats.  The  results  were  all  that  could  be  desired  until 


MACHINING  AND  HEAT-TREATMENT 


53 


forgings  were  received  from  a  certain  heat,  which  would 
not  respond  to  treatment  based  upon  the  results  of  pre- 
liminary experiments.  Investigation  yielded  the  results 
presented  in  Table  II.  While  water-treatment  of  the  forg- 
ings from  "Heat  No.  3"  gave  satisfactory  strengths  under 
test,  the  liability  of  shells  to  crack,  owing  to  their  thin 

TABLE  II.  RESULTS  OF  TESTS  CONDUCTED  TO  SECURE  GENERAL  DATA 
01T  HE  AT- TREATMENT 


Heat   No. 

i 

2 

3 

Carbon   per  cent 

0  45 

0  52 

0  50 

Manganese,  per  cent... 

Decalescent    point,    de- 
grees  P  

0.68 
1400 

0.62 
1425 

0.47 
1390 

Quenching  temperature, 
degrees  F         .... 

1450 

1475 

1450 

Temperature      of      oil, 
degrees  P            .... 

160 

160 

120 

Resultant  hardness, 
scleroscope   No  

65  to  75 

65  to  75 

*39 

Temperature   of   water, 
degrees   F  

75 

Resultant   hardness, 
scleroscope  No  

Tempered    until    show- 
in  g      a     scleroscope 
hardness  of 

48 

48 

55  to  60 
52 

Yield  point    tons  

47  8 

48  6 

46  5 

Breaking  point,  tons... 
Elongation,  per  cent... 

67.9 
14.5 

65.4 
16.9 

66.2 
17.4 

Machinery 

*Note:     This  shell  was  then  reheated  and  quenched  in  water  with  results  shown. 

walls  contracting  more  rapidly  than  the  base,  was  a  fatal 
objection  to  this  method.  Attention  should  be  called  to  the 
fact  that  while  the  temperature  at  which  quenching  should 
be  done  is  specified  by  the  government  at  1560  degrees  F., 
manufacturers  are  not  tied  down  to  this  particular  tem- 
perature. What  is  required  is  that  the  manufacturers  shall 
so  treat  the  material  that  it  will  fulfill  the  requirements 


54 


MACHINING  AND  HEAT-TREATMENT 


already  stated.  If,  when  fulfilling  these  requirements,  the 
treatment  should  prove  detrimental  to  the  shell  in  other  re- 
spects, then  it  must  be  changed  accordingly. 

Referring  to  results  presented  in  Table  II,  "Heat  No.  3," 
it  will  be  observed  that  the  manganese  is  only  0.47  per 
cent  with  carbon  0.50  per  cent.  Comparing  "Heat  No.  3" 
with  "Heat  No.  1",  it  is  evident  that  an  increase  of  5  points 
carbon  is  more  than  -offset  by  a  reduction  of  21  points  in 
the  manganese.  Increase  of  temperature  seemed  to  offer 
the  greatest  possibilities  and  sample  shells  were  drawn 
every  121/2  degrees  up  to  1675  degrees  F.  The  greatest 
hardness  was  obtained  at  1637^,  scleroscope  readings  of 
from  50  to  55  being  the  average.  This  was  not  considered 

TABLE   III.     RESULTS   OF  TESTS   ON   SAMPLES   TAKEN   FROM   A   SHELL   WITH   A 
SCLEROSCOPE  HARDNESS  NUMBER   OF  FROM  48  TO  52 


Heat    No. 

Scleroscope   reading  on 
test  piece  after  ma- 
chining 

Yield  Point, 
tons 

Breaking 
point,     tons 

Elongation, 
per    cent 

1 

Outside  52—53—50  ) 
Inside     55—55—55  f 

55.8 

73.3 

14.3 

2 

Outside  52—54—50  ) 
Inside     55—57—53  j" 

53.8 

72.4 

17.4 

3 

Outside  57—57—49  / 
Inside     60—62—51  V 

52.8 

77.3 

12.7 

Machinery 

satisfactory,  and  the  oil-circulating  pump  was  speeded  up. 
Scleroscope  readings  as  high  as  65  were  frequently  obtained 
at  a  quenching  temperature  of  approximately  1635  degrees, 
and  when  the  shell  was  tempered  to  read  48  to  52  on  the 
scleroscope,  three  test  pieces  from  one  shell  gave  the  results 
presented  in  Table  III.  A  careful  study  of  this  data  re- 
vealed the  fact  that,  while  a  low-carbon,  low-manganese 
steel  hardens  satisfactorily  within  a  limited  range  of  tem- 
perature, a  medium  steel  has  a  wider  range,  and  a  high- 
carbon  steel,  a  still  wider  range  of  hardening  temperature. 
When  the  shipment  of  mixed  heats  previously  referred 
to  was  treated,  the  method  pursued  was  to  take  0.50  per 
cent  carbon  and  0.50  per  cent  manganese  as  a  base  compo- 
sition which  hardened  at  1600  degrees  F.  to  show  55  to  65 


MACHINING  AND  HEAT-TREATMENT 


55 


hardness  on  the  scleroscope.  Then :  (a)  If,  for  every  point 
of  carbon  below  50,  there  be  present  1  or  more  points  of 
manganese  above  50,  the  steel  should  harden  satisfactorily 
at  1600  degrees  F.  (b)  If,  for  every  point  of  manganese 
below  50,  there  be  present  2  or  more  points  of  carbon  above 
50,  the  steel  should  harden  satisfactorily  at  1600  degrees 
F.  (c)  If  both  carbon  and  manganese  be  below  0.50  per 


0.45 


ACTUAL  LIMITS  OF   MANGANESE,   PER  CENT 


Machinery 


Fig.    12.     Chart    showing    Hardening    Temperatures    for    Various 

Percentages  of  Carbon   and    Manganese   in   Steel    used   for 

Shrapnel    Shells 


cent,  increase  the  hardening  temperature  12%  degrees  F. 
for  each  point  of  manganese  short  of  50,  and  6*4  degrees 
F.  for  each  point  of  carbon  short  of  50.  (d)  If  both  carbon 
and  manganese  are  above  0.50  per  cent,  a  hardness  number 
above  55  will  probably  be  obtained  at  a  quenching  tem- 
perature of  1600  degrees  F.,  but  the  maximum  hardness, 


56  MACHINING  AND  HEAT-TREATMENT 

i.  e.,  from  75  to  80,  will  be  obtained  at  a  somewhat  lower 
temperature,  the  exact  temperature  being  most  easily  found 
by  starting  at  1500  degrees  F.  and  trying  a  couple  of  sam- 
ple shells  every  25  degrees  F.  until  a  maximum  hardness 
is  obtained.  Forgings  containing  from  0.50  to  0.55  per 
cent  carbon  and  from  0.54  to  0.62  per  cent  manganese  in 
any  varying  proportions  may  be  hardened  at  1600  degrees 
F.  to  show  a  hardness  number  of  from  55  to  75 ;  and  when 
tempered  to  give  a  hardness  number  of  from  48  to  52  they 
will  yield  the  following  results:  yield  point,  45  to  50  tons; 
breaking  point,  65  to  70  tons ;  and  elongation,  14  to  20  per 
cent. 

Looking  back,  (c)  offers  a  basis  for  charting  the  harden- 
ing points  in  a  fairly  approximate  manner,  to  form  a  guide 
as  to  where  the  best  hardness  may  be  obtained.  Such  a 
chart  is  shown  in  Fig.  12.  By  following  the  horizontal 
and  vertical  lines  from  the  carbon  and  manganese  content 
until  they  intersect,  a  diagonal  line  will  be  found  which 
will  indicate  the  temperature  at  or  about  which  the  maxi- 
mum hardness  will  be  obtained.  This  does  not  prevent  the 
use  of  1600  degrees  F.  as  the  average  temperature  for  the 
majority  of  shells,  provided  they  are  strong  enough  when 
hardened  at  that  temperature;  but  where  shells  do  not 
harden  satisfactorily  at  1600  degrees  F.,  the  chart  offers 
an  alternative  method  subject  to  such  variation  as  may 
arise  due  to  the  use  of  steel  from  different  makers,  etc. 
Probably  the  best  practice  is  to  make  careful  scleroscope 
readings  of  each  piece  before  pulling.  Care  must  be  taken 
to  have  a  uniform  surface  on  both  sides,  all  tool  marks  be- 
ing removed  with  fine  emery  cloth.  The  points  tested  are 
shown  at  A,  B,  and  C  in  Fig.  11.  After  the  test  piece  is 
made,  the  value  of  the  hardness  number  increases  as  a 
result  of  the  piece  being  solidly  supported  in  the  scleroscope, 
whereas,  when  the  reading  is  made  on  the  shell,  the  arched 
form  of  the  wall  acts  as  a  spring,  and  absorbs  the  shock 
to  some  extent.  Readings  thus  increase  from  2  to  10 
points  after  the  test  piece  is  finished. 

A  careful  study  of  the  data  presented  in  Table  IV  re- 
veals the  fact  that  results  are  not  always  consistent.  With 


MACHINING  AND  HEAT-TREATMENT 


57 


TABLE    IV.     DATA    ON    THE    HEAT-TREATMENT    AND    STRENGTH    TESTS 
OF  SHRAPNEL  SHELLS 


Car- 
bon, 
per 
cent 

Manga- 
nese, 
per 
cent 

Quen- 
ching 
temper- 
ature, 
degrees 

Tem- 
pered, 
sclero- 
scope 
hard- 
ness 
No. 

Readings  of 
scleroscope 

Yield 
point, 
tons 

Break- 
ing 
point, 
tons 

Elong- 
ation, 
per 
cent 

0.50 

0.47 

1635 

51 

60—  57^-57 
47—48—48 

48.3 

69.9 

16.9 

Three  pieces  from  one  shell 

60—56—53 
48—52—58 

45.2 

70.6 

19.1 

63^56—57 
51—55—54 

51.6 

74.6 

16.9 

0.48 

0.65 

1565 

49 

51—54—52 
48—53—50 

47.3 

67.4 

15.9 

Three  pieces  from  one  shell 

51—52—49 
53—51—51 

48.2 

67.9 

15.3 

52—55—50 

50—55—47 

49.2 

70.7 

15.4 

0.50 

0.57 

1600 

50 

50—52—50 
49—50—49 

46.0 

64.8 

19.0 

0.50 

0.57 

1600 

60 

56—60—57 
54—56—54 

55.8 

77.8 

14.3 

0.50 

0.57 

1600 

50 

59—60—56 
55—59+56 

60.7 

82.2 

12.7 

0.60 

0.57 

1600 

60 

60—61—55 
60—62—57 

57.8 

80.0 

12.6 

0.60 

0.57 

1600 

52 

57—57—56 
54—56—53 

48.2 

69.7 

17.5 

0.50 

0.57 

1600 

50 

48—52—50 
49—52—49 

44.2 

64.3 

17.4 

0.50 

0.57 

1600 

50 

52—55—55 
60—51—52 

44.7 

65.2 

14.7 

Machinery 

an  increase  of  carbon,  one  occasionally  finds  an  increase  in 
elongation  and  vice  versa;  and  the  results  due  to  variations 
in  manganese  content  are  similarly  unreliable.  In  order 
to  secure  a  degree  of  uniformity  in  hardness,  which  will  be 
sufficient  to  insure  test  pieces  standing  up  successfully,  it 
is  necessary  to  have  the  shell  hard  inside  as  well  as  outside, 
and  a  method  of  doing  this  is  referred  to  later.  Assuming 
now  that  the  shell  has  been  tempered,  it  is  rough-polished 


58 


MACHINING  AND  HEAT-TREATMENT 


*J  siLLJ  i 


MACHINING  AND  HEAT-TREATMENT  59 

on  a  canvas  buffing  wheel  around  the  outside  of  B,  Fig. 
11,  for  a  width  of  at  least  1  inch.  Readings  by  the  sclero- 
scope  are  made  on  a  zone  %  inch  wide,  and  if  they  are 
between  46  and  52  the  shell  may  be  relied  upon  to  show 
good  results  in  the  tensile  test.  In  making  test  pieces,  it 
is  desirable  to  cut  the  piece  from  a  spot  which  reads  48 
to  50 ;  and  in  machining  the  test  piece,  care  should  be  taken 
to  remove  an  equal  quantity  of  metal  from  either  side  of 
the  wall  so  that  the  test  piece  is  a  true  specimen  of  the 
average  wall  structure.  Where  a  shell  is  carelessly 
quenched,  and  the  test  piece  so  machined  that  the  surface 
on  one  side  is  practically  the  same  as  the  inner  side  of 
the  wall,  the  results  would  not  be  a  true  indication  of  the 
real  average  strength,  and  a  lot  of  shells  might  possibly 
be  rejected  on  account  of  a  slight  oversight  in  this  respect. 
Reference  has  been  made  to  the  base  A,  Fig.  11.  Forging 
defects  show  up  here  occasionally  and  in  such  cases  the 
shell  is  at  once  condemned.  These  flaws  take  the  form  of 
small  cracks,  from  the  width  of  a  hair  up  to  1/16  inch. 
They  seldom  can  be  detected  until  after  heat-treating,  and 
are  most  easily  observed  by  polishing  the  base  on  a  disk 
grinder.  Losses  in  this  respect  vary,  but  might  average 
about  0.20  per  cent.  The  hardness  of  the  base  itself  may 
vary  from  38  to  50,  which  insures  an  ample  degree  of 
toughness  and  avoids  all  possibility  of  the  shell  cracking 
under  fire. 

Heat-treating  Department. —  Many  methods  of  heating, 
quenching,  annealing,  and  cleaning  are  in  use  by  the 
different  firms  engaged  in  shell  making.  For  rapidity  of 
output,  cleanliness  of  the  resulting  product,  ease  and  econ- 
omy of  operation,  and  uniformity  and  control  of  results, 
the  lead  bath  seems  best  for  hardening,  and  the  semi-muffle 
furnace  for  annealing.  In  one  case  the  use  of  a  lead  bath 
by  a  skilled  operator  yielded  excellent  results  both  as  to 
economy  and  uniformity,  but,  when  the  output  exceeds 
500  shells  per  12  hours,  a  semi-continuous  furnace  meets 
the  requirements  to  better  advantage.  The  lay-out  of  a 
hardening  room  for  an  output  of  12,000  shells  per  week 
is  given  in  Fig.  13.  The  lead  baths  consist  of  a  rectan- 


60 


MACHINING  AND  HEAT-TREATMENT 


gular  pot  of  suitable  capacity,  resting  on  a  4i/2-mch  hearth 
built  of  common  firebrick  and  heated  by  either  oil  or  gas 
burners  below  the  hearth.  They  are  built  in  pairs  with 
a  common  wall  between,  which  is  thick  enough  to  provide 
a  flue  to  carry  off  products  of  combustion.  The  quenching 
tanks  are  rectangular,  water- jacketed,  and  provided  with 
two  quenching  cradles  each.  These  cradles  are  arranged 
to  swing  lengthwise  in  the  tank,  and,  when  the  carrier  hold- 


MacMnery 


Fig.    14.     Special    Arrangement    of   Scleroscope   for   Testing 
Shrapnel    Shells 

ing  the  shell  is  lowered  into  the  oil,  a  pipe  is  automatically 
extended  downward  into  the  shell  and  introduces  cold  oil 
in  the  inside  of  the  shell,  while  the  operator  swings  the 
cradle  back  and  forth  in  the  tank,  thus  cooling  the  outside 
of  the  shell  at  the  same  time.  This  method  of  quenching 
made  it  possible  to  harden  shells  which,  by  reason  of  low 
carbon  and  manganese,  defied  all  conventional  methods  of 
dipping  and  swinging  back  and  forth  with  tongs.  The 


MACHINING  AND  HEAT-TREATMENT 


61 


output  per  man  with  this  apparatus  is  largely  in  excess  of 
any  hand  method,  while  the  uniformity  and  degree  of 
hardness  is  all  that  could  be  desired. 

The  oil  pump  draws  the  oil  from  a  depth  of  6  inches 
below  the  surface  and  pumps  it  through  100  feet  of  1-inch 
copper  pipe  arranged  in  two  50-foot  coils  in  parallel.  The 
cooled  oil  is  delivered  into  an  overhead  reservoir,  the  over- 
flow being  connected  to  both  tanks  equally.  After  quench- 
ing, the  shells  are  set  on  draining  racks,  and  then  washed 
in  boiling  water  and  sal-soda,  placed  on  another  draining 
rack  and  then  brushed  with  wire  brushes  previous  to 
tempering.  The  tempering  furnace  is  of  rectangular  form, 


Fig.    15.     Closing    in    Nose   of   Shrapnel    Shell    in    Hydraulic    Press 

and  consists  of  a  long  flat  hearth  with  rails  laid  lengthwise 
on  it.  At  each  end  a  space  is  partitioned  off  from  the 
body  of  the  furnace,  by  means  of  vertical  sliding  doors; 
and  a  rack  holding  a  number  of  shells  is  deposited  on  the 
rails  at  the  front  end  of  the  hearth,  the  door  is  elevated 
and  the  rack  is  slid  into  the  main  chamber.  After  a  suita- 
ble lapse  of  time  another  rack  is  introduced,  and  so  on  until 
the  first  rack  is  ejected  at  the  rear  end  of  the  furnace.  The 
shells  are  now  hot  enough  to  loosen  all  foreign  matter  on 
the  surface,  and  a  few  seconds  brushing  with  a  wire  brush 
cleans  out  the  driving  band  groove,  and  leaves  the  shell 


62 


MACHINING  AND  HEAT-TREATMENT 


with  a  delicate  brown  oxidized  finish.  The  shell  is  now 
spotted  on  three  places  with  a  canvas  buff  and  tested  for 
hardness.  Fig.  14  shows  the  arrangement  of  the  scle- 
roscope.  The  shell  is  supported  on  a  single  narrow 
V-block  with  hardened  edges,  situated  immediately  under 
the  set-up  point.  A  narrow  strip  supports  the  open  end 
of  the  shell,  thus  giving  a  three-point  support,  while  a  ver- 
tical stop  at  the  back  of  the  shell  maintains  it  in  a  position 
tangential  to  the  radius  of  the  swinging  arm.  The  usual 
rubber  bulb  was  soon  dispensed  with  as  being  quite  unsuited 


Fig.    16. 


Third    Operation    on    Nose   of   Shrapnel    Shell — Turning,    Facing, 
and  Threading 


for  such  hard  service,  and  a  small  pump  cylinder  substi- 
tuted. The  piston  in  the  cylinder  is  operated  by  a  down- 
ward pressure  of  the  heel  on  the  pedal  to  give  compression, 
and  a  spring  inside  the  cylinder  gives  the  necessary  pull 
when  the  scleroscope  hammer  is  to  be  raised  by  suction. 
After  being  tested  the  shells  are  ready  for  "nosing  in." 

Closing-in  the  End  of  the  Shell.  —  On  some  makes  of 
shells,  particularly  the  British,  the  nose  is  closed  in  before 
performing  the  third  series  of  machining  operations.  The 
closing-in  is  generally  accomplished  in  a  hydraulic  or  power 


MACHINING  AND  HEAT-TREATMENT 


63 


Fig.  17.     Grinding  Shrapnel  Shells  In  One  Operation  Fn  a  Ford-Smith  Grinding 

Machine  carrying  a  Wheel  about  8^   Inches  Wide  by  20  Inches  In 

Diameter,   rotated   at   1200    Revolutions   per   Minute 


Fig.   18.     Closing   in   Copper   Band  on   Shrapnel   Shell   in   a   Machine  provided 
with  Six   Dies,  as  shown   in   Fig.  20,   back  of  each   one  of  which 

there    is   a    Hydraulic   Cylinder  , 


64 


MACHINING  AND  HEAT-TREATMENT 


press.  Fig.  15  shows  the  closing-in  operation  being  per- 
formed in  a  vertical  hydraulic  press  capable  of  exerting  a 
pressure  of  800  pounds  per  square  inch.  Before  closing 
the  open  end  of  the  shell,  it  is  heated  in  the  lead  bath, 
shown  to  the  left  of  the  illustration,  which  is  kept  at  a 
temperature  between  1450  and  1500  degrees  F.  The  steel 
diaphragm,  which  is  larger  in  diameter  than  the  nose  of 
the  shell,  is  first  thrown  in.  Then  the  shell  is  placed  in 
the  press,  and  a  cone-shaped  die  descends,  closing  in  the 
nose  to  the  proper  shape  and  diameter.  The  third  machin- 
ing operation  consists  in  finishing  the  radius  on  the  nose, 
both  inside  and  outside,  and  cutting  the  thread.  This  is 


Machinery 


Fig.  19.     Special  Type  of  Wheel-truing  Device  used  on  Ford-Smith 
Grinding    Machine   shown    in    Fig.    17 

done,  as  shown  in  Fig.  16,  in  an  ordinary  engine  lathe  with 
a  turret  on  the  saddle.  The  boring  is  done  with  cutters 
held  in  boring-bars  and  the  thread  cut  with  a  Geometric 
collapsible  tap.  The  thread  on  the  18-pounder  is  2.94 
inches  in  diameter,  14-pitch,  Whitworth  type. 

Grinding  Shrapnel  Shells.  —  The  exterior  surface  of  a 
shrapnel  shell  is  straight  for  a  portion  of  the  length  and 
then  curved  on  the  nose.  While  the  limits  required  are 
not  extremely  close,  it  is  necessary,  where  large  production 
is  required,  to  accomplish  the  finishing  operations  on  the 
exterior  of  the  shell  in  some  way  by  which  fairly  close 


MACHINING  AND  HEAT-TREATMENT  65 

dimensions  can  be  secured  as  well  as  large  production. 
Grinding  has,  therefore,  been  recommended  for  finishing 
the  exterior  of  the  shell.  One  method  of  grinding  shrapnel 
shells,  in  which  a  wide-faced  wheel  is  used  that  covers  the 
entire  ground  surface,  is  shown  in  Fig.  17.  This  machine 
is  built  by  the  Ford-Smith  Machine  Co.,  Hamilton,  Ont., 
and  carries  a  wheel  about  8*4  inches  wide  by  20  inches  in 
diameter.  The  grinding  wheel  is  rotated  at  1200  R.  P.  M., 
and  the  work  at  50  R.  P.  M.  The  depth  of  the  cut  is 
about  1/32  inch,  and  the  time  to  complete  one  shell  varies 
between  two  and  three  minutes.  For  grinding,  a  plug  is 


Fig.  20.     Close  View  showing  Closing-in   Dies  of   Banding 
Machine  shown    in    Fig.    18 

screwed  into  the  open  end  of  the  shell.  This  is  held  on 
the  tailstock  center  and  a  chuck  holds  and  drives  the  shell 
from  the  other  end. 

It  is  necessary,  of  course,  that  the  wheel  be  kept  the 
correct  shape,  and  for  this  purpose  an  interesting  type  of 
wheel-truing  device,  differing  considerably  from  that  shown 
in  Fig.  17,  is  now  used.  Referring  to  Fig.  19,  it  will  be 
seen  that  this  comprises  a  combination  wheel  guard  and 
bracket,  the  latter  being  used  as  a  base  for  the  wheel-truing 
device  proper.  The  diamond  A  is  carried  in  a  holder  B 
that  operates  in  a  slide  in  the  face  of  the  traversing  wheel- 
truing  slide  C.  The  diamond  holder  carries  a  cam  point 


66  MACHINING  AND  HEAT-TREATMENT 

D  which  is  kept  in  contact  with  the  guide  or  former  cam  E 
by  means  of  a  spring  F.  The  wheel-truing  slide  C  is  tra- 
versed by  a  triple  pitch  screw  G  so  as  to  give  a  rapid  move- 
ment to  the  slide  in  order  to  produce  what  might  be  termed 
a  "rough-truing"  of  the  wheel.  For  change  in  diameter, 
and  also  for  bringing  the  diamond  in  contact  with  the  wheel, 
a  vertical  slide  H  is  provided  that  is  operated  by  handle  /. 
In  order  to  observe  the  diamond  when  truing  the  wheel,  a 
trap  door  J  is  provided  in  the  wheel  guard,  which  can  be 
dropped  down  into  place  when  the  actual  grinding  of  the 
shell  is  being  done. 

Pressing  on  the  Rifling  Band.  —  In  order  to  rotate  the 
shrapnel  when  propelling  it  out  of  the  howitzer,  it  is  nec- 
essary to  put  on  a  rifling  band  to  take  the  rifling  grooves 
of  the  gun  bore.  As  a  rule,  these  rifling  bands  are  made 
from  copper  tubing  and  are  simply  cut  off  in  a  hand  screw 
machine  or  turret  lathe.  The  next  operation  is  to  close  in 
the  rifling  band  on  the  shrapnel  shell.  The  ring  is  dropped 
over  the  shell  and  a  fixture  is  used  to  locate  it  in  the  correct 
relation  to  the  groove  in  the  circumference  of  the  shell. 
Then  a  slight  pressure  is  exerted  on  it  to  align  it  properly 
in  the  groove.  It  is  now  placed  in  the  banding  machine 
shown  in  Fig.  18.  This  particular  machine  is  provided 
with  six  dies  as  shown  in  Fig.  20,  and  back  of  each  one  is 
a  hydraulic  cylinder  operated  by  water  pressure.  Two 
squeezers  are  necessary  to  close  the  rifling  band  properly 
into  the  groove,  the  shell  being  given  a  half  turn  after  each 
squeeze. 

There  are  several  different  machines  on  the  market  for 
performing  this  closing-in  operation  on  the  rifling  band. 
Another  machine,  built  by  the  West  Tire  Setter  Co.,  Roches- 
ter, N.  Y.,  is  shown  in  Fig.  21.  The  principle  upon  which 
this  machine  operates  is  almost  identical  with  that  pre- 
viously described,  but  in  this  case  oil  is  used  as  a  pressure 
medium.  It  is  forced  into  the  machine  by  means  of  a  belt- 
driven  pump  shown  to  the  left  of  the  illustration,  which 
drives  the  oil  from  the  oil  tank  and  carries  it  to  the  center 
of  the  base  of  the  press.  An  oil  head  is  located  at  this 
point  from  which  the  pipes  are  run  to  each  of  the  six  rams 


MACHINING  AND  HEAT-TREATMENT 


67 


Fig.  21.     Shrapnel    Banding   Machine  built  by  the  West  Tire  Setter  Co., 
having  a  Capacity  for  Compressing  two   Bands  per   Minute 


Fig.   22.     Assembling    Bullets,    Resin,   and    Fuse   Socket   in   Shrapnel    Shell 


68  MACHINING  AND  HEAT-TREATMENT 

or  cylinders.  The  amount  of  pressure  required  for  com- 
pressing the  copper  band  depends  largely  upon  the  width 
and  thickness  and  the  amount  that  the  band  must  be  spread 
to  fill  the  grooves,  rather  than  upon  the  diameter  of  the 
shell.  The  machine  shown  in  Fig.  21  is  capable  of  exerting 
a  pressure  of  30  tons  on  each  cylinder  or  a  combined  pres- 
sure of  180  tons  on  all  six  cylinders.  It  has  a  capacity 
for  compressing  at  least  two  bands  per  minute. 

Machining  the  Rifling  Band. —  One  method  of  machin- 
ing the  rifling  band  to  the  correct  shape  is  shown  in  Fig. 


Fig.   23.     Finishing    Rifling    Band   on   Shrapnel    Shell   to   Shape 

23.  Here  a  Fox  lathe  is  used  which  is  provided  with  a 
chuck  for  holding  the  shell  and  which  carries  in  the  turret 
a  revolving  center  for  additionally  supporting  it.  The  ma- 
chining is  done  by  form  tools  which  are  of  the  correct 
shape.  Before  any  other  machining  operations  can  be  ac- 
complished it  is  necessary  to  put  in  the  tin  powder  cup, 
brass  fuse  tube,  bullets,  and  resin.  This  cup  is  slipped 
in  past  the  steel  diaphragm,  then  both  parts  are  allowed 
to  drop  to  the  bottom  and  the  fuse  tube  is  screwed  into 
the  diaphragm.  The  required  number  of  lead  bullets,  which 


70 


MACHINING  AND  HEAT-TREATMENT 


for  the  British  18-pound  shrapnel  is  about  375  per  shell, 
is  then  poured  in.  The  bullets  are  held  in  a  tank  and  are 
allowed  to  flow  out  upon  the  opening  of  a  stopcock.  In 
order  to  pack  the  bullets  solidly,  a  compressed  air  ramming 
device  forms  the  base  upon  which  the  shell  rests  while  the 
bullets  are  being  poured  in.  This  is  operated  three  or  four 
times  for  the  filling  of  each  shell  and  arranges  the  bullets 
compactly. 

The  resin  is  now  poured  in,  as  shown  in  the  center  of 
Fig.  22.  This  is  carried  in  the  tank  which  is  heated  by 
a  gas  furnace  and  is  poured  in  almost  level  with  the  top  of 
the  bullets.  The  shell  is  then  placed  on  the  scale  in  the  im- 
mediate foreground  and  weighed.  One  dram  plus  or  minus 
is  allowed  as  a  variation,  and  in  order  to  not  exceed  this, 


Fig.    25.     18-pound    Shrapnel    Shell    showing    Dimensions    and 
Manufacturing  Limits 

more  or  less  resin  is  poured  in  until  the  correct  weight  is 
obtained.  The  brass  fuse  socket  is  now  screwed  in  as 
shown  to  the  left  of  the  illustration,  and  upon  the  comple- 
tion of  this  operation  the  shell  is  ready  for  the  fourth  and 
last  machining  operation.  This  last  operation  consists  in 
machining  the  brass  socket  on  the  outside  diameter  to  con- 
form to  the  radius  on  the  nose  of  the  shell,  and  boring  on 
the  inside  and  threading  to  fit  the  fuse  body.  These  oper- 
ations are  handled  in  a  Fox  brass  working  lathe.  Upon 
the  completion  of  the  machining  operations  the  plug  is 
screwed  in,  the  shell  stamped,  cleaned,  weighed,  and  in- 
spected by  government  inspectors.  After  this,  the  shell  is 
given  two  coats  of  paint  and  a  red  band  is  painted  around 
the  nose.  It  is  now  packed  in  boxes  holding  six  shells 


MACHINING  AND  HEAT-TREATMENT 


71 


Fig.  26.     Group  of  Gages  made  by  Wells  Bros.  Co.  for  gaging 
British  Shrapnel   Shells  and   Parts 

and  is  ready  for  shipment.     This  completes  the  manufac- 
ture of  the  shrapnel  shell. 

Gaging  Shrapnel  Shells.  — The  machining  operations  on 
shrapnel  shells  are  required  to  be  held  within  certain  limits, 
and  government  inspectors  watch  these  closely.  Some  of 
the  principal  gaging  operations  on  the  shrapnel  shell  body 


Machinery 


Fig.  27.     Diagram  showing   Application   of  Wells   Bros.    Gages 


72 


MACHINING  AND  HEAT-TREATMENT 


Fig.  28.     Collection  of  Wells   Bros.  Co.'s  American   Shrapnel   Shell   Gages 

are  shown  in  Fig.  24.  Fig.  25  shows  the  18-pound  shrapnel 
shell  in  section,  and  gives  the  principal  dimensions  together 
with  the  limits ;  it  will  be  seen  from  this  illustration  that  the 
range  allowable  is  in  most  cases  large.  The  Wells  Bros. 
Co.,  Greenfield,  Mass.,  has  made  a  large  number  of  shrapnel 
gages,  some  of  which  are  shown  in  the  accompanying  illus- 
trations. In  the  three  upper  views  of  Fig.  24,  the  Wells 
Bros,  standard  thread  gage  is  illustrated.  This  is  used 
for  all  diameter  measurements  by  substituting  flat  gaging 
pins  for  the  V-points  used  when  gaging  thread  diameters. 
Gages  for  British  Shrapnel  Parts. —  Fig.  26  illustrates 
typical  gages  for  gaging  such  parts  of  the  British  shrapnel 


Fig.    29. 


Dwight-Slate    Hand-operated    Marking    Machine 
for  Shrapnel   Shells 


MACHINING  AND  HEAT-TREATMENT 


73 


as  body  diameters,  diaphragm  seat,  powder  pocket,  fuse 
socket,  thread  diameters,  and  fuse  parts.  Fig.  27  shows 
the  application  of  several  different  types  of  shrapnel  shell 
gages.  At  A  is  the  gage  for  the  over-all  length.  At  B  is 
the  gage  used  for  measuring  the  thickness  of  the  closed 
end.  The  outer  arm  of  this  gage  can  be  swung  away  to 
allow  the  placing  of  the  gage  on  the  standard.  At  the 
extreme  lower  left- 
hand  corner  of  the 
gaging  arm  is  a  slight 
shoulder  on  the  rod 
and  the  height  of  this 
acts  as  the  limit.  C 
shows  the  application 
of  outside  diameter 
and  thread  gages.  D 
shows  three  form 
gages  for  checking  the 
shape  and  dimensions 
of  the  wave  ribs,  the 
diameter  and  shape  of 
the  undercut  i  n  t  h  e 
band  groove,  and  the 
shape  of  the  nose  of 
the  shell.  E  shows 
the  gage  used  for 
checking  the  thickness 
of  the  wall  of  the  shell 
at  different  distances 
from  the  mouth.  F 
shows  the  application 
of  a  powder  pocket  gage,  and  also  a  gage  for  checking  the 
shape  of  the  finished  rifling  band. 

Gages  for  American  Shrapnel  Shells.  —  Fig.  28  shows  a 
miscellaneous  collection  of  gages  used  in  checking  the  di- 
mensions of  the  American  shrapnel  shell.  Gages,  A,  B,  C, 
and  D  are  for  measuring  the  diameter  of  the  diaphragm 
seat.  E  is  for  checking  the  distance  from  the  diaphragm 
seat  to  the  mouth  end  of  the  shell,  and  gage  F  is  for  the 


Fig.  30.    Power-driven  Dwight-Slate  Mark- 
ing Machine  for  Shrapnel  Shells 


74  MACHINING  AND  HEAT-TREATMENT 

outside  diameter  of  the  shell.  Gage  G  is  used  for  the 
rifling  band  groove.  Gages  H  and  /  are  for  the  thread  in 
the  mouth  of  the  shell,  H  being  a  "not-go"  and  /  a  "go" 
gage. 

The  gage  at  J  performs  several  gaging  functions  on  the 
American  shell.  It  consists  of  a  standard  having  two  up- 
right posts  across  which  a  bar  is  mounted.  The  purpose 
of  the  bar  is  to  gage  the  over-all  length  of  the  shell,  and  its 
lower  surface  is  provided  with  two  steps  giving  the  limits. 
This  gage  is  also  used  for  measuring  the  depth  of  the  pow- 
der pocket,  rod  K  and  block  L  performing  this  function. 
Two  rings  are  cut  around  the  rod  K  registering  with  the 
top  surface  of  the  bar,  the  purpose  being  to  show  the  accu- 
racy of  the  work. 

Another  interesting  gage  is  shown  at  M.  This  is  for 
gaging  the  concentricity  of  the  shell  and  consists  of  an 
arbor  mounted  so  that  it  can  be  swung  on  a  pivot.  The 
arbor  carries  two  collars  N  and  O  that  fit  in  the  shell. 
Collar  P  is  merely  a  sizing  plug  and  when  the  gage  is  in 
use  this  plug  is  removed.  A  gaging  finger  Q  rests  against 
the  shell  when  it  is  on  this  arbor,  and  a  standard  type  of 
indicator  R  shows  the  variation  in  concentricity  when  the 
gage,  collars,  and  shell  are  rotated  on  the  arbor. 

Marking  Shrapnel  Shells.  —  All  shrapnel  shells  are 
marked  on  their  circumference  with  five  or  six  lines  of 
lettering,  as  shown  in  Fig.  29.  This  indicates  the  size  of 
the  shell,  the  series,  muzzle  velocity,  name  of  the  manufac- 
turer, date  completed,  etc.  Two  types  of  machines  for 
producing  the  stamping,  built  by  Noble  &  Westbrook,  Hart- 
ford, Conn.,  are  shown  in  Figs.  29  and  30.  The  machine 
shown  in  Fig.  29  is  of  the  hand-operated  type.  The  figure 
block  A  is  held  in  a  slide  that  is  moved  longitudinally  by 
pulling  down  handle  B,  rolling  the  shell,  and  at  the  same 
time  stamping  it.  The  shell  is  located  on  the  table  in  the 
two  positions  by  gages  C  and  D. 

The  "Dwight-Slate"  stamping  machine  shown  in  Fig.  30 
is  power-driven,  and  the  work  is  held  on  an  elevating  table. 
The  stamp  is  held  in  a  slide  operated  by  an  eccentric  and 
connecting-rod.  In  this  machine  the  shell  is  not  distorted. 


CHAPTER  IV 
MACHINES  AND  TOOLS  FOR  SHRAPNEL  MANUFACTURE 

Reed-Prentice  Co.  Equipment  for  Machining  Forged 
Shrapnel  Shells.  —  In  machining  the  18-pound  British 
shrapnel  shell  on  the  equipment  furnished  by  the  Reed- 
Prentice  Co.,  Worcester,  Mass.,  eight  distinct  operations 
are  performed  as  follows:  First,  drilling  a  center  hole  in 
the  closed  end  of  the  forging  in  a  Prentice  16-inch  ball- 
bearing sensitive  drilling  machine  equipped  with  a  special 
centering  fixture ;  second,  rough-turning  the  outside  diame- 
ter, grooving,  squaring  the  closed  end  and  rounding  the 
corners  in  a  Reed-Prentice  14-inch  heavy  type  automatic 
lathe;  third,  machining  the  powder  pocket  and  diaphragm 
seat,  as  well  as  the  internal  and  external  diameters  of  the 
nose  in  a  14-inch  Reed  extra-heavy  turret  lathe;  fourth, 
under-cutting  band  grooves  and  producing  wave  ribs  in  a 
14-inch  Reed  engine  lathe;  fifth,  boring,  reaming,  thread- 
ing and  facing  the  open  end  in  a  Reed  14-inch  extra-heavy 
turret  lathe;  sixth,  finish-turning  outside  diameter  and 
radius  on  nose,  also  form-turning  copper  band  in  a  Reed 
14-inch  heavy  type  automatic  lathe;  seventh,  cutting  off 
center  projection  on  closed  end  of  shell  in  a  Reed  14-inch 
engine  lathe;  eighth,  finishing  brass  socket  to  form,  clean- 
ing inside  of  socket  and  cutting  off  excess  length  of  tube 
in  a  Reed  14-inch  extra-heavy  turning  lathe. 

First  Operation  on  Rough  Shell  Forging. —  The  drilling 
of  the  center  hole  in  the  closed  end  of  the  forging  is  a 
comparatively  simple  operation,  and  is  performed  in  an  in- 
teresting fixture  held  on  a  16-inch  Prentice  ball-bearing 
sensitive  drilling  machine.  This  fixture,  which  is  designed 
for  handling  the  work  quickly,  is  shown  in  Fig.  1,  and  con- 
sists of  the  base  casting  A  clamped  to  the  table  of  the  drill- 
ing machine.  The  entire  back  part  of  the  jig  swings  on 
the  trunnion  B  to  provide  a  means  for  quickly  removing 
the  forging  C  from  the  arbor  D.  A  locking  pin  E  is  used 
for  locating  the  fixture  in  its  upright  position  for  drilling. 

75 


76 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE 


Machinery 


Fig.   1.     Fixtures  used  for  holding  Shrapnel   Shell   Forgings  when 

drilling   Center    Hole   in   a   16-inch    Prentice    Ball    Bearing 

Sensitive    Drilling    Machine 

Bushing  G  in  the  top  plate  F  of  the  fixture  guides  the 
combination  drill  and  countersink. 

The  construction  of  the  work-holding  arbor  is  worthy 
of  special  attention.  This  arbor  D  has  a  cap  H  on  its  top 
end  that  acts  as  a  stop  for  the  inside  of  the  forging,  which, 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE 


77 


in  being  placed  over  the  arbor,  is  located  centrally  and 
clamped  by  fingers  N.  To  operate  these  fingers,  hand  lever 
/  is  depressed,  and  as  this  is  fulcrumed  at  the  point  J,  it 
causes  collar  K  to  rise  on  the  arbor.  Yoke  L  forms  a  con- 
nection between  the  lever  and  the  collar  with  which  the 
sleeve  carrying  fingers  N  is  integral.  Fingers  N  are  ful- 
crumed in  arbor  D  and  are  thrown  outward  to  grip  the 
forging  when  sleeve  M  is  raised.  Light  springs  0  tend 
to  keep  the  gripping  fingers  in  a  vertical  position  against 


Fig.    2.     Tool    Lay-out    for    performing    Second    Series    of 

Operations   on    Reed- Prentice    Heavy   Type 

Automatic    Lathe 

the  arbor  when  they  are  not  being  forced  outward  by  the 
inclined  "surf  aces  on  sleeve  M.  Handle  /  carries  a  spring 
pawl  P  that  holds  the  sleeve  M  stationary  while  the  forging 
is  being  center-drilled. 

Second  or  Rough-turning  and  Facing  Operations. 
—  The  second  operation  is  performed  on  a  Reed-Prentice 
14-inch  heavy  type  automatic  lathe,  as  shown  in  Figs.  2 
and  3.  The  forging  A  is  held  on  an  internal  expanding 
arbor  B,  the  driving  part  of  which  is  supported  by  the 
head-center.  At  the  closed  end,  the  shell  is  steadied  Dy  tne 


78 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE 


tail-center.  The  bottom  of  the  shell  rests  against  the  end 
of  the  arbor  which  acts  as  a  gage.  In  this  setting,  the 
external  diameter  of  the  forging  is  rough-turned  by  four 
tools  F,  mounted  on  the  carriage  G.  This  carriage  has  a 
travel  slightly  less  than  two  inches,  and  an  automatic  throw- 
off  is  provided  at  the  end  of  the  cut  that  disengages  the 
tools,  draws  them  back  and  returns  the  carriage.  At  the 
rear  of  the  carriage  on  this  machine  a  facing  arm  is 
mounted  on  a  heavy  bar.  Turning  tools  are  carried  on 
this  facing  arm,  as  shown,  and  when  the  front  carriage 


Fig.    3.     Section    through    Reed-Prentice    Automatic    Lathe,    showing 
Tool  Arrangement 

feeds  longitudinally  a  cam  bracket  O,  bolted  to  the  carriage, 
is  carried  along  with  it.  Clamped  on  this  bracket  is  an 
adjustable  cam  N  held  in  place  by  screws.  Cam  roll  M  on 
the  facing  arm  contacts  with  cam  N,  causing  the  facing 
arm  to  rock  forward  as  the  carriage  travels  longitudinally. 
Referring  to  the  plan  view  in  Fig.  2,  tool  H,  held  in  the 
arm,  faces  the  end  of  the  forging,  tool  I  chamfers  the  cor- 
ner, and  tool  /  cuts  the  depression  for  the  wave  ribs,  leav- 
ing a  projection  in  the  center  from  which  the  ribs  are 
formed.  It  should  be  understood  that  the  tools  on  the 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE 


79 


carriage  and  facing  arm  work  together.     One  man  can  run 
two  of  these  machines  without  trouble. 

Third  Series  of  Machining  Operations.  —  The  third  se- 
ries of  operations  on  the  shrapnel  forging  is  performed 
on  a  14-inch  Reed  heavy  lathe  with  a  specially  large  turret, 
as  shown  in  Fig.  4.  This  lathe  is  fitted  with  a  12-inch 
three-jaw  chuck,  bored  out  to  3^  inches  to  permit  the 
forging  to  extend  into  it.  The  forging  A  is  put  in  the 
chuck  as  shown  at  B,  and  the  jaws  grip  at  C.  The  first 
operation  is  performed  with  a  bar  D  carrying  a  blade  cutter 
E  that  rough-bores  the  powder  pocket,  and  tool  F  that 


Machinery 


Fig.    4.     Tooling    Equipment   for    performing    Third    Series    of 
Operations   on    14-inch    Extra-heavy    Turret    Lathe 

rough-bores  the  mouth.  The  turret  is  now  indexed,  and  a 
boring-bar  carrying  a  blade  G  roughs  out  the  diaphragm 
seat,  while  an  auxiliary  tool  H  faces  the  shell  to  length. 
At  the  next  indexing  of  the  turret  the  boring-bar  /  that 
carries  the  finishing  tool  /  finishes  the  diaphragm  seat  and 
powder  chamber. 

Fourth  Operation — Under-cutting  and  "Waving"  Band 
Groove.  —  For  the  fourth  operation,  the  forging  is  held  in 
a  14-inch  Reed  engine  lathe  provided  with  an  automatic 
attachment  for  under-cutting  and  waving  the  ribs  for  the 


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SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE  81 

B.  Spring  D  keeps  the  roll  E  on  the  lower  slide  of  the 
tool-holder  in  contact  with  the  cam  slot  in  cam-plate  F  that 
is  fastened  to  carriage  R.  When  the  carriage  is  traversed 
toward  the  chuck,  the  irregular  surface  of  cam-plate  F 
engages  the  roll  and  forces  the  tool-holder  forward.  Side 
motion  to  produce  the  wave  is  then  effected  by  face-cam  G, 
mounted  on  the  chuck  and  contacting  with  the  roll  H.  This 
roll  is  supported  on  a  bracket  forming  an  auxiliary  slide 
S  that  carries  the  waving  tool  C.  A  stiff  barrel  spring 
keeps  slide  S  in  contact  with  the  cam  G.  Thus,  when  the 
machine  spindle  revolves,  the  auxiliary  slide  is  caused  to 
oscillate  back  and  forth  far  enough  to  give  the  desired 
amount  of  wave. 

The  under-cutting  in  the  band  groove  is  accomplished  by 
tools  /  and  /  which  are  mounted  on  separate  tool-slides  K 
and  L.  These  slides  are  fed  in  at  an  angle  to  the  axis  of 
the  forging,  against  the  action  of  coil  springs  M  and  N, 
by  the  cam  surfaces  of  plate  Q  in  which  rolls  0  and  P  work. 
Plate  Q  is  bolted  to  carriage  R  which,  in  advancing  toward 
the  chuck,  forces  in  the  under-cutting  tools  in  the  manner 
just  described.  The  tail-center  of  this  machine  is  fitted 
with  a  quick-acting  mechanism  so  that  it  may  be  withdrawn 
quickly  to  insert  a  new  piece. 

Fifth  Series  of  Operations.  —  Before  performing  the  fifth 
series  of  operations,  the  forging  is  heated  and  closed  in  on 
the  nose.  It  is  then  handled  in  the  following  manner:  A 
Reed  14-inch  heavy  lathe,  equipped  with  an  extra  large 
turret  mounted  on  a  special  wide-bridge  carriage  carries 
tools  for  boring,  reaming,  threading  and  final  squaring 
of  the  open  end,  as  shown  in  Fig.  6.  The  shell  forging 
for  these  operations  is  held  in  a  three-jaw  chuck  provided 
with  special  jaws.  In  the  first  position  the  rough-boring 
of  the  nose  and  the  rough-facing  of  the  extreme  end  is 
performed  with  tools  B  and  C.  The  turret  is  then  indexed 
and  tools  Z),  and  E  finish-ream  the  hole  in  the  nose  and 
face  the  end.  The  tap  F  is  next  brought  into  position,  cut- 
ting the  thread  in  the  nose. 

The  turret  is  again  indexed,  bringing  a  special  form  bor- 
ing tool  into  position.  Here  the  boring  tool  G  is  carried  in 


82 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE 


SHRAPNEL    MANUFACTURE  83 

a  bar  H  held  in  a  holder  of  the  cross-sliding  carriage  type 
that  is  fastened  to  two  faces  of  the  turret.  By  means  of 
cross-screw  /,  the  boring  tool  H  may  be  drawn  in  or  out  at 
will.  This  tool  operates  as  follows:  As  the  turret  is  ad- 
vanced, handle  /  is  operated  to  let  tool  G  enter  the  nose  of 
the  shell,  and,  upon  the  continued  advance  of  the  turret, 
arrow  head  M  is  forced  in  between  and  gripped  by  the  fin- 
gers N.  The  turret  is  now  backed  away  from  the  chuck, 
and  while  receding  acts  upon  slide  P  through  the  medium 


Fig.  7.     Reed-Prentice   14-inch   Heavy  Type   Automatic   Lathe 
used    for    performing    Sixth    Series    of    Operations 

of  roll  L  and  cam  groove  R.  The  plate  containing  cam 
groove  R  is  attached  to  the  arrow  head  M  and  consequently 
is  held  stationary  while  the  turret  is  being  withdrawn 
from  the  work.  This  backward  movement  of  the  turret 
is  continued  until  the  tool  G  is  withdrawn  from  the  work 
and  slide  S  comes  in  contact  with  check-nuts  on  rod  0, 
withdrawing  arrow  head  M  from  fingers  N  and  allowing 
the  turret  to  be  indexed  ready  for  the  first  operation  on 
the  next  forging. 

Sixth  or  Finish-turning  Operations.  —  The  sixth  series  of 
operations  is  performed  on  a  Reed-Prentice  14-inch  heavy 
type  automatic  lathe,  similar  to  that  used  for  the  second 


84 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE 


operation,  and  the  machine  is  also  operated  in  a  manner 
similar  to  that  previously  described.  The  operations  con- 
sist in  finish-turning  the  outside  diameter  of  the  shell  and 
turning  the  radius  on  the  nose.  In  addition,  the  copper 
rifling  band,  put  on  previous  to  this  operation,  is  turned 
to  shape.  Referring  to  Fig.  7,  the  shrapnel  shell  A  is 
held  by  the  tail-center  at  one  end  and  is  supported  and 
driven  from  the  other  end  by  a  plug  screwed  into  it.  This 
plug  is  held  on  the  live  center  and  is  driven  by  an  equalizing 
driver,  coming  in  contact  with  pins  in  the  special  faceplate. 


Machinery 


Fig.  8.     Tools  for  machining  Brass  Fuse  Socket  on  14-inch  Heavy 
Turning   Lathe — Eighth   Operation 

Two  slides  B  and  C  are  carried  on  the  front  of  the  car- 
riage. Slide  C  carries  three  tools  D;  two  of  these  start  in 
from  the  rifling  band  and  turn  in  toward  the  nose,  and  the 
other  works  up  toward  the  rifling  band  from  the  closed 
end.  Tool  E,  carried  in  slide  B,  turns  the  curve  on  the 
nose  of  the  shell  and  is  controlled  in  its  action  by  means 
of  a  slot  in  cam  F  in  which  a  roller  held  to  the  slide  oper- 
ates. At  the  rear  of  the  carriage  is  carried  a  facing  bar 
attachment,  as  previously  described  in  connection  with  the 
second  operation.  This  attachment  carries  three  tools,  as 
illustrated,  for  machining  the  rifling  band  to  shape,  facing 
the  closed  end  and  chamfering  the  corner. 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE 


85 


Seventh  and  Eighth  Operations.  —  After  the  sixth  oper- 
ation, the  fuse  tube  is  threaded  into  the  diaphragm,  the 
bullets  put  in,  and  the  hot  resin  poured  in  to  keep  them 
from  rattling.  The  brass  socket  is  then  screwed  into  the 
nose  and  the  fuse  tube  soldered  to  it.  The  shell  is  now 
ready  for  the  seventh  operation  which  consists  in  cutting- 
off  the  center  projection.  This  is  accomplished  in  a  Reed 
14-inch  engine  lathe,  provided  with  a  faceplate  chuck  for 
holding  and  driving  the  shell  at  the  open  end,  and  a  steady- 
rest  for  supporting  it  close  to  the  point  where  the  cutting  is 
being  done.  The  shell  is  now  ready  for  the  eighth  opera- 
tion, which  consists  in  machining  the  brass  socket  to  shape 


'aohlnery 


Fig.  9.     Shrapnel  Case  made  from  Chrome-nickel  Steel  having  High 

Tensile  Strength  on  a  Cleveland  Automatic  Screw  Machine 

with    Special    Tool    Equipment 

in  an  extra-heavy  lathe  as  shown  in  Fig.  8.  The  tools 
used  for  machining  are  retained  in  a  special  holder  on  the 
carriage.  Tool  A,  which  is  used  for  facing  off  the  fuse 
tube  and  the  brass  socket,  is  inverted,  starts  at  the  center 
and  is  fed  out  toward  the  circumference.  The  external 
surface  of  the  socket  is  machined  with  a  circular  forming 
tool  C  held  on  a  stud  D  located  in  block  B.  The  inward 
travel  of  this  tool  is  limited  by  stop  E  coming  in  contact 
with  the  shell. 

Making  Shrapnel  Shells  on  the  Cleveland  Automatic. — 
An  unusual  example  of  automatic  machine  work  is  that  of 
producing  the  shrapnel  shell  shown  in  Fig.  9.  This  shell 


86 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE 


is  made  from  a  bar  of  3  1/16-inch  chrome-nickel  steel  stock. 
The  steel  has  a  tensile  strength  varying  from  125,000  to 
135,000  pounds  per  square  inch,  and  is  extremely  tough. 


Fig.   10.     Order  of  Operations  on  the  Shrapnel   Case 

The  work  is  accomplished  on  a  314-inch  Cleveland  auto- 
matic, and  the  tooling  equipment,  as  shown  in  Figs.  10,  11, 
and  12,  is  interesting.  While  the  general  operation  of  the 
Cleveland  automatic  is  well  understood  by  many  mechanics, 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE  87 

the  production  of  this  piece  illustrates  a  number  of  points  in 
the  operation  of  this  machine  which  are  not  so  well  known. 
Therefore,  it  is  advisable  to  explain  in  detail  just  how  this 
interesting  job  is  handled. 

The  first  operation,  as  the  job  was  originally  laid  out, 
was  to  feed  the  stock  out  to  the  stop  A,  shown  in  Fig.  11, 
which  is  held  on  the  cross-slide  and  operated  by  a  lever 
on  the  base  of  the  machine.  This  method  has  been  im- 
proved upon  since  the  photograph  shown  in  Fig.  11  was 
taken,  and  the  time  reduced  from  twenty-seven  and  one- 
half  minutes  to  twenty-five  minutes  (see  Fig.  10  for  im- 


Fig.  11.     Cleveland  3V4-inch  Automatic  Screw  Machine  set  up  for 
making    a   Shrapnel    Case    In    Twenty-five    Minutes 

proved  method).  The  second  operation  is  to  rough-drill 
the  large  hole  with  an  inserted  bit  B,  step  the  hole  for  the 
taper  reamer  with  cutter  C  and  rough-turn  the  external 
diameter  with  cutter  D  held  in  a  special  turning  attach- 
ment. This  attachment  envelops  the  shanks  of  all  six 
tools  in  the  turret  in  order  to  obtain  support.  The  cutters 
in  the  attachment  shown  in  Fig.  11  work  in  advance  of  the 
under-cutting  forming  tool  E  shown  in  Fig.  12,  which  is 
held  on  the  rear  cross-slide.  The  time  required  for  the 
completion  of  the  operations  outlined  is  thirteen  minutes. 


if 

a 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE  89 

In  the  third  operation  drill  H  finishes  the  powder  pocket, 
and  two  cutters  /  counterbore  for  the  tap — time  required 
three  minutes.  The  fourth  operation  consists  in  finishing 
the  diaphragm  seat  with  the  counterbore  /,  finishing  the 
front  end  with  inserted  cutter  K  and  breaking  the  corner 
to  facilitate  tapping  with  inserted  cutter  L,  the  time  re- 
quired being  forty-five  seconds.  In  the  fifth  operation  the 
thread  is  cut  with  a  tap  M  held  in  the  tap-holder  N  in  forty- 
five  seconds.  Then  the  turret  is  indexed  and  for  the  sixth 
operation  the  hole  is  taper-reamed  with  reamer  O,  provided 
with  four  inserted  "Novo"  steel  blades,  in  ninety  seconds. 
The  last  and  seventh  operation  consists  in  knurling  the 
band  with  a  knurl  P  (see  Fig.  12)  mounted  on  the  front 
cross-slide,  and  cutting  off  the  shell  with  a  cut-off  blade  Q 
retained  in  a  holder  on  the  rear  cross-slide — time  six  min- 
utes. The  total  time  required  to  produce  this  shrapnel 
case  by  the  improved  methods  illustrated  by  the  diagram 
in  Fig.  10  is  twenty-five  minutes. 

There  are  several  points  of  unusual  interest  in  the  pro- 
duction of  this  shrapnel  case.  One  is  the  large  amount  of 
stock  to  be  removed  to  form  the  hole ;  the  second  is  the  long 
taper-reaming  operation — difficult  work  to  accomplish  sat- 
isfactorily on  an  automatic  screw  machine — and  the  third 
is  the  long  outside  forming  operation  which  must  be  held 
to  a  limit  of  0.0005  inch  on  the  diameter.  In  order  to  ac- 
complish this  last  operation  successfully,  the  external  diam- 
eter of  the  piece  is  first  turned  with  a  cutter  held  in  a 
separate  turning  attachment,  leaving  only  0.010  inch  on  the 
diameter  to  be  removed  by  a  wide  under-cutting  or  shaving 
tool  E  held  very  rigidly  on  the  rear  cross-slide.  Not  only 
must  the  case  be  exact  as  regards  diameter,  but  it  must 
not  vary  f  om  one  end  to  the  other  nor  at  any  point  through- 
out its  length.  The  large  shaving  tool  held  rigidly  in  the 
manner  illustrated  in  Fig.  12  accomplishes  this  result  sat- 
isfactorily. 

The  material  from  which  the  case  is  made  is  so  tough 
that  some  difficulty  was  met  with  in  selecting  a  tool  steel 
that  would  stand  up  for  a  reasonable  length  of  time  under 
cut.  The  drills  and  counterbores  are  tipped  with  "Novo" 


90 


SHRAPNEL    MANUFACTURE 


cutters  and  all  the  forming  tools,  including  the  cut-off  tool, 
are  also  made  from  the  same  steel.  The  only  cutting  tool 
in  the  entire  tooling  equipment  not  made  of  this  steel  is 
the  tap.  The  bar  is  rotated  at  sixty-four  revolutions  per 
minute,  giving  a  surface  speed  for  the  external  cutting 
tools  of  approximately  fifty-one  surface  feet  per  minute. 

Machining  the   British    Forged   Shell   on   Potter   &  John- 
ston Automatics.  —  In  making  the  British  forged  shell  on 


Fig.   13.     First   Operation   on   Shrapnel   Shell,   performed   on   a    No.   6A 
Potter    &    Johnston    Automatic    Chucking    and    Turning    Machine 

the  Potter  &  Johnston  automatic  chucking  and  turning 
machine,  three  operations  complete  the  work.  The  first 
operation  completes  the  outside  of  the  shell,  except  for  the 
extreme  end  which  is  covered  by  the  gripping  mechanism 
of  the  chuck.  The  second  operation  finishes  the  inside  of 
the  shell  and  at  the  same  time  finish-turns  the  extreme 
open  end.  After  the  second  operation  is  performed  the 
shell  is  "nosed,"  which  consists  in  heating  it  in  a  lead 


C     0>    <U 

C«     ^     rC 


i 


C  01 

ro  c 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE  93 

nose  of  the  spindle  of  the  machine.  The  shell  is  pushed  onto 
this  arbor  until  the  end  of  the  arbor  strikes  the  bottom  of 
the  shell.  The  gripping  mechanism  which  comprises  six 
jaws  B  and  a  draw-in  plunger  C  is  contained  inside  the 
arbor.  The  external  diameter  of  the  arbor  is  machined  to 
practically  the  same  shape  as  the  internal  diameter  of  the 
shell,  but  is  smaller.  The  jaws  are  held  in  slots  which  con- 
trol their  movement  in  every  direction  except  radially.  They 
are  forced  out  radially  by  means  of  the  draw-in  bar  C  which 
is  provided  with  tapered  seats  that  engage  the  inward  end 
of  the  jaws.  The  bar  C  is  operated  by  a  hand  lever  D  that 
extends  up  over  the  top  of  the  machine,  is  f  ulcrumed  in  a 
bracket  on  the  rear  bearing  cap,  and  is  connected  to  a  slid- 
ing sleeve  E. 

In  clamping  the  work  on  the  arbor,  lever  D  is  lifted  up, 
this  action  drawing  the  sliding  collar  E  to  the  right  along 
the  sleeve  F,  which,  in  turn,  allows  the  forward  end  of  the 
fingers  G  to  close  in.  This  releases  the  pressure  of  the 
outer  end  of  the  fingers  on  the  draw-in  bar  C.  When  the 
pressure  from  bar  C  is  released  by  means  of  handle  D, 
heavy  coil  springs  H  then  come  into  action  forcing  the 
draw-in  bar  back  and  expanding  the  clamping  jaws.  Ad- 
ditional clamping  means  are  provided  by  three  set-screws 
which  are  brought  to  bear  on  the  work  after  it  has  been 
clamped  in  position  by  the  jaws.  To  release  the  work,  the 
reverse  action  takes  place,  that  is,  lever  D  is  forced  down 
which  slides  the  collar  E  to  the  left,  operating  the  fingers  G, 
which,  in  turn,  overcome  the  pressure  of  the  springs  Ht 
allowing  the  clamping  jaws  B  to  collapse. 

First  Machining  Operation  Set-up.  —  The  order  of  the  first 
series  of  operations  in  machining  a  forged  shrapnel  shell 
is  as  follows:  First,  rough-turn  7  inches  along  body  of 
shell,  face  end  and  chamfer;  second,  finish-turn  21/2  inches 
along  shell ;  third,  rough-groove  for  copper  band  and  dove- 
tail; fourth,  turn  waves  in  groove. 

For  the  first  operation,  the  work  is  held  on  the  expand- 
ing arbor  shown  in  Fig.  14,  and  the  tool  equipment,  which 
is  of  an  unusually  interesting  character,  is  shown  in  Fig. 
15.  The  first  rough-turning  operation,  accomplished  by 


94 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE 


turret  tool  A,  which  is  of  the  relieving  type  to  be  described 
later,  is  held  on  the  first  face  of  the  turret  and  roughs  down 
the  body  of  the  shell.  On  the  opposite  side  of  the  holder 
is  a  roller  support  B  which  supports  the  shell  while  the 
turning  tool  is  in  operation.  The  end  of  the  shell  is  faced 
by  means  of  a  facing  tool  C  which  is  really  a  type  of  fac- 
ing mill.  The  end  of  the  shell  is  then  chamfered  by  means 
of  a  chamfering  tool  D  that  removes  the  sharp  corner. 

After  these  operations  have  been  performed,  the  turret 
is  indexed  and  the  second  face  of  the  turret  is  brought  in 


Machinery 


Fig.  16.     Details  of  Relieving  Turning  Tool-holder  shown  in  Fig.  15 

line  with  the  chuck.  This  operation  is  accomplished  with 
a  relieving  tool-holder  E  carrying  a  cutter  e,  which  takes  a 
cut  2%  inches  along  the  body  of  the  shell.  An  interesting 
feature  of  this  tool  is  that  on  the  return  stroke  of  the 
turret  it  swivels  back  out  of  the  way  so  that  the  shell  is 
not  scored  by  the  tool  dragging  over  it.  The  construction 
of  this  tool  is  more  clearly  shown  in  Fig.  16. 

As  is  clearly  shown  in  this  illustration,  the  turret  reliev- 
ing turning  tool  comprises  a  shank  on  which  is  fulcrumed 
a  tool-holding  member  B.  This  is  slotted  out  to  carry  the 
turning  tool  C  which  is  clamped  in  place  by  two  set-screws 
D  and  is  adjusted  to  turn  the  correct  diameter  by  means 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE  95 

of  an  adjusting  stud  and  clamping  nut  F  and  G.  The 
method  of  operating  this  tool  is  as  follows :  The  f ulcrumed 
tool-holder  B  is  "held  up"  by  means  of  a  fillister-head  screw, 
screwed  into  a  stud  H  and  acted  upon  by  a  coil  spring  /. 
A  hole  to  receive  the  stud  is  drilled  in  the  tool-holder  B, 
allowing  about  1/16  inch  clearance.  When  the  tool  is  in 
action  it  has  a  reverse  position  to  that  shown  in  the  illus- 
tration, that  is,  the  turning  tool  instead  of  being  parallel 
with  the  center  line  is  at  a  slight  angle  with  it.  In  action, 
as  soon  as  the  turret  advances,  the  tool  comes  into  contact 
with  the  work,  and  the  work,  turning  around,  forces  the 
cutting  tool  down  and  consequently  depresses  the  spring, 
at  the  same  time  bringing  the  "lower  part"  of  the  hole 
into  contact  with  the  extended  plug  on  the  holder.  In  this 
way  the  tool  is  held  rigidly  and  in  contact  with  the  work. 
As  soon  as  the  turret  begins  to  move  back,  however,  and 
the  cutting  pressure  is  released,  the  spring  comes  into 
action  and  throws  up  the  tool,  bringing  it  out  of  contact 
with  the  work. 

Upon  the  completion  of  the  operation  which  is  accom- 
plished from  the  second  turret  face,  the  turret  is  again  in- 
dexed and  the  next  operation  is  performed  from  the  rear 
cross-slide  and  the  third  turret  face.  The  third  operation 
consists  in  cutting  the  grooves  for  the  rifling  band,  and, 
on  account  of  the  under-cutting  necessary,  involves  some 
interesting  points.  In  order  to  hold  the  work  rigidly  while 
the  grooving  tools  are  acting  on  it,  a  revolving  support  F 
is  brought  in  from  the  turret.  The  wide  tool  G  for  cutting 
the  band  grooves  (this  tool  removes  the  greatest  amount 
of  the  stock)  is  held  on  the  rear  cross-slide  and  is  of  the 
under-cutting  type;  that  is  to  say,  it  operates  under  the 
work  or  tangentially  instead  of  radially.  Held  on  a  bracket 
on  the  third  turret  face  are  two  tools  H  and  7,  the  purpose 
of  which  is  to  dovetail  the  rifling  band  grooves.  These 
turret  tools  are  held  in  a  holder  working  in  a  slide  on  the 
bracket  fastened  to  the  turret  face  and  are  operated  by  a 
block  held  on  the  rear  cross-slide.  The  action  of  these 
three  tools,  therefore,  is  simultaneous.  The  wide  grooving 
tool,  however,  is  slightly  ahead  of  the  dovetailing  tools. 


1  = 

s 


c  c 

•3  o 

•^  o 

O  v 


H  6 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE  97 

The  last  operation  is  accomplished  when  the  turret  is  in- 
dexed to  the  fourth  position.  Here,  again,  a  roller  support 
/  steadies  the  work  while  the  waving  tool  is  in  action  on  it. 
The  two  waves  that  are  formed  are  for  the  purpose  of  pre- 
venting the  rifling  ring  from  turning,  and  they  deviate 
about  1/16  inch  laterally  from  being  a  true  annular  rib. 
The  tool  for  cutting  these  ribs  is  shown  at  K  and  is  of 
the  forming  type  held  in  a  dovetailed  groove  in  the  holder  L. 
This  also  carries  a  roll  M  which  contacts  with  the  waved 
surface  of  the  face-cam  N,  the  curve  of  which  gives  the 
correct  out-and-in  motions  to  the  waving  tool  K.  The  cam 
face  is  on  a  sleeve  that  is  threaded  onto  the  nose  of  the 
spindle  of  the  machine,  as  is  shown  to  the  left  of  the 
illustration  opposite  the  first  turret  face. 

Method  of  Holding  Shell  for  Second  Operation.  — The 
second  series  of  operations  on  the  shell  is  also  performed 
on  the  Potter  &  Johnston  automatic  chucking  and  turning 
machine.  The  shell  is  held  at  the  base  end  by  a  special 
collet  of  the  draw-in  type,  as  shown  in  Fig.  17.  Fixed 
in  the  nose  of  the  spindle  is  a  positive  stop  A  against  which 
the  shell  is  held  by  means  of  the  draw-in  collet  B.  This 
collet  extends  into  the  draw-in  rod  C,  to  which  it  is  at- 
tached. The  method  of  operating  this  gripping  mechanism 
differs  slightly  from  that  shown  in  Fig.  14.  In  this  case 
the  spring  collet  B  is  drawn  into  a  tapered  sleeve  to  clamp 
it  on  the  work.  This  is  effected  by  means  of  lever  D  which 
is  fulcrumed  in  a  bracket  extending  from  the  rear  bearing 
cap  of  the  machine  and  operates  a  sliding  cam  sleeve  E. 
The  cam,  in  turn,  operates  fingers  F,  only  one  of  which  is 
shown,  the  latter  acting  upon  the  draw-in  rod  C  to  which 
the  collet  is  attached.  By  depressing  lever  D,  the  chuck  is 
opened  by  means  of  the  coil  springs  G  which  act  upon  the 
draw-in  rod  C  when  the  pressure  of  the  fingers  has  been 
released.  Lifting  up  handle  D  closes  the  chuck,  and  de- 
pressing it  opens  the  chuck. 

Second  Series  of  Machining  Operations  on  Shrapnel  Shells. 
—  The  operations  on  the  shrapnel  shell  performed  in  the 
second  setting  are  shown  in  Fig.  18.  The  relieving  tool  A, 
held  on  the  first  face  of  the  turret,  covers  that  section  of  the 


98 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE 


shell  which  in  the  former  operation  was  held  in  the  gripping 
jaws.  While  this  cut  is  being  taken,  a  turret  tool  B  rough- 
bores  the  powder  pocket  and  diaphragm  seat.  The  reliev- 
ing tool  A  is  constructed  and  operated  similarly  to  the 
relieving  tool  described  in  connection  with  Fig.  16.  It  will 
be  noted  here  that  the  threads  on  the  spindle  nose  are  pro- 


TAPER  TURNINO  TOOL  CARRIED 
ON  FRONT  CROSS-SLIDE  AND 

OPERATED  BY  TURRET. 

REVERSE  MOVEMENT  OF  TOOL 

OBTAINED  BY  USING  RACK 

AND  PINION. 


Fig.   18.     Tooling    Equipment   used   on   No.  6A   Potter  &  Johnston  Automatic 

Chucking  and  Turning  Machine  for  performing  Second  Series 

of   Operations   on    Forged   Shrapnel    Shell 

tected  by  a  cast-iron  cap  to  prevent  them  from  being  in- 
jured. Upon  the  completion  of  the  operation  just  described, 
the  turret  is  indexed,  bringing  the  second  face  in  line  with 
the  spindle.  Here  the  diaphragm  seat  is  finished  with  a 
flat  cutter  C,  which  is  held  in  the  boring  tool  illustrated. 
The  turret  is  again  indexed  into  the  third  position,  where 
the  powder  pocket  is  finished  by  means  of  the  flat  cutter  D. 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE  99 

The  turret  is  now  indexed  to  bring  the  fourth  face  in 
line  with  the  spindle  where  the  extreme  open  end  of  the 
shell  is  turned  taper  by  means  of  a  tool  E  that  is  carried 
on  the  front  cross-slide  and  operated  by  the  turret.  By 
referring  to  this  illustration,  it  will  be  noticed  that  the 
taper  is  turned  from  the  spindle  toward  the  outer  end 
of  the  shell  and  is,  therefore,  a  reverse  turning  operation. 
The  tool  is  caused  to  move  toward  the  turret  by  using  a 
rack  and  pinion  to  reverse  the  movement.  On  this  opera- 
tion, as  well  as  on  the  previous  one,  one  man  takes  care  of 
four  machines. 


Fig.  19.   Machining  Inside  of  Shrapnel  Shell,  and  threading  with 

Automatic  Collapsible  Tap  on   Potter  &  Johnston 

Automatic    Chucking    and    Turning    Machine 

Third  Machining  Operation  on  Shrapnel  Shells.  —  Before 
any  other  machining  operations  are  done  on  the  shell,  it 
is  taken  to  a  lead  bath  where  it  is  heated  and  afterward 
placed  under  a  press  which  closes  in  the  nose  or  open  end 
of  the  shell.  For  machining  in  the  third  operation,  the 
shell  is  held  practically  in  the  same  manner  as  for  the  sec- 
ond operation,  except  that  it  is  gripped  farther  along  the 
body.  The  machining  performed  in  this  operation  is  as 
follows:  On  the  first  turret  face,  rough-bore  and  finish- 
bore  for  a  distance  of  1  inch  from  the  end  of  the  shell; 
second  turret  face,  rough-bore  the  inside  of  the  shell  for  a 
distance  of  1  inch  back  from  the  thread ;  third  turret  face, 


100 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE 


finish-form  on  the  inside  for  a  distance  of  1  inch  back  of 
the  thread;  and  fourth  turret  face,  thread  with  a  collapsi- 
ble tap.  The  various  machining  operations  on  the  3-inch 
size  of  shrapnel  shells  are  performed  on  a  standard  Potter 
&  Johnston  6A  automatic  chucking  and  turning  lathe.  It 
is  recommended  that  these  machines  be  run  in  batteries  or 


2o  OPERATION 


3o  OPERATION 


Fig.   20. 


First    Series   of   Operations   on    "Frankford"    Shell    on    a    Potter   & 
Johnston   6A   Automatic   Chucking   and   Turning    Lathe 


units  of  seven  each,  four  machines  being  set  up  for  the 
first  operation,  two  machines  for  the  second  operation,  and 
one  machine  for  the  third  operation. 

Machining  "Frankford"  Forged  Shell.  —  The  machining 
of  the  American  or  "Frankford"  3-inch  type  of  high-explo- 
sive shrapnel  shell  is  comparatively  easy,  inasmuch  as  there 
is  no  nosing  to  be  done,  and  the  entire  shell  may  be  machined 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE 


101 


at  two  settings.  Fig.  20  shows  the  way  in  which  the  first 
operation  is  taken  care  of  on  the  No.  6A  Potter  &  Johnston 
automatic  chucking  and  turning  lathe.  The  forged  shell  is 
held  on  an  expanding  arbor  of  the  same  type  as  that  shown 
in  Fig.  15.  In  the  first  turret  position,  the  operations  con- 


4TM  OPERATION 


3RD  OPERATION 


1ST  OPERATION 


2ND  OPERATION 


Fig.    21. 


Second    Series    of    Operations    on    "Frankford"    Shell    on    Potter    & 
Johnston    Automatic   Chucking    and   Turning    Lathe 


sist  in  taking  a  straight  cut  across  the  diameter  and  facing 
off  the  end.  The  external  turning  tool  A  is  of  the  relieving 
type,  and  B  is  a  facing  tool  that  works  on  the  end.  Both 
of  these  tools  are  supported  and  operated  from  the  turret. 
A  roll  support,  not  shown,  steadies  the  work  while  tool  A  is 


102  SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE 

working.  The  turret  now  backs  out,  and  a  forming  tool, 
held  on  the  cross-slide,  advances,  cuts  the  rifling  band  and 
the  semicircular  grooves  in  the  end  of  the  shell,  and  at  the 
same  time  chamfers  the  corner.  Knurl  D,  held  on  the  rear 
of  the  cross-slide,  is  then  advanced.  This  knurls  the  bot- 
tom of  the  rifling  band  groove. 

By  referring  to  Fig.  20,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  grooves 
do  not  extend  entirely  across  the  face  of  the  knurl,  but 
instead  two  "knurl"  ribs  similar  to  a  double  thread  are 
formed  on  the  periphery.  This  construction  makes  it  pos- 


Fig.  22.     Three-inch   Shrapnel   Shell    made  on   a   Gridley 
Automatic  Turret   Lathe 

sible  to  sink  the  knurl  into  the  work  to  the  proper  depth 
without  exerting  excessive  pressure  on  the  arbor  and  throw- 
ing it  out  of  line. 

Second  Series  of  Operations  on  "Frankford"  Forged 
Shrapnel  Shell.  —  For  the  second  series  of  operations,  the 
"Frankford"  shrapnel  shell  is  held  in  a  draw-in  collet  as 
shown  in  Fig.  21.  As  the  shell  has  been  completely  ma- 
chined on  the  outside,  it  is  let  into  the  collet  for  a  consid- 
erable distance.  For  machining,  it  is  shown  gripped  in 
the  collet  by  jaws  A  and  is  backed  up  by  positive  stop  B.  At 
the  first  turret  face,  tool  C  rough-bores  the  diaphragm 
seat,  tool  D  bores  the  thread  diameter,  and  tool  E  faces 
and  chamfers  the  end.  The  turret  is  now  indexed,  and 
tools  F,  G,  and  H  perform  similar  finishing  cuts.  A  holder 
held  on  the  third  turret  face  carries  tool  /  that  chamfers 
the  powder  pocket,  and  at  the  fourth  turret  face  a  collapsible 
tap  threads  the  open  end. 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE 


103 


Making  Shrapnel  Shells  on  the  Gridley  Automatic  Turret 
Lathe.  —  Figs.  22  to  25  show  a  three-inch  shrapnel  shell 
made  on  the  3 14 -inch  Gridley  single-spindle  automatic  tur- 
ret lathe.  The  steel  from  which  the  shell  is  made  is  very 
tough.  The  specifications  are  from  125,000  to  135,000 
pounds  tensile  strength,  110,000  pounds  elastic  limit, 


Fig.  23.     Tool   set   up  for   Producing  the   Shell   shown    In    Fig.   22 

a  twenty-five  per  cent  reduction  of  area,  and  a  twelve  per 
cent  elongation.  It  will  be  seen  from  the  above  specifica- 
tions that  the  steel  is,  of  necessity,  very  tough  and  difficult 
to  work;  in  addition,  a  large  taper  reamer  must  be  used, 
and  the  outside  of  the  shell  must  be  relieved  throughout  the 
central  portion.  It  is  also  necessary  to  machine  the  piece 
to  extremely  accurate  dimensions,  all  of  which  tends  to 
make  the  work  still  more  difficult.  Fig.  22  shows  a  view  of 


,  «,«  v 


*e*        ' 


104 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE 


the  shrapnel  shell.  It  is  approximately  three  inches  in 
diameter  and  eight  inches  long,  and  the  limits  allowed  for 
the  sizes  are  extremely  close  throughout,  both  inside  and 
outside.  Figs.  24  and  25  show  the  successive  steps  em- 
ployed in  machining  the  piece  complete,  the  four  views 


0    START  OF  DRILL 


Fig.  24.     Successive  Steps  and  Operations  employed  In  Making  the 
Shell    shown    in    Fig.    22 

presented  representing  the  appearance  of  the  work  and 
the  operations  performed  at  each  indexing  of  the  turret. 
Fig.  23  will  enable  the  operation  of  the  different  parts  to  be 
more  clearly  understood. 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE 


105 


While  the  operation  of  the  Gridley  automatic  turret  lathe 
is  generally  understood  by  mechanics,  it  may  be  well  to 
state  briefly  the  general  principles  upon  which  work  is 
done  in  the  single-spindle  machine.  In  this  type  of  ma- 
chine, the  position  of  the  work  does  not  change  as  it  does 


CUTTING  OFF  TOOL- THIS  CAN  BE 
GROUND  AND  RESET  WITHOUT 

CHANGING  ADJUSTMENT 

13  M!N.  45  SEC. 
START  OF  REAMER 


•  KNURLING  IS  DONE  ON  HIGH  . 
BEFORE  REAMER  OR  CUTT;NG  OFF 
TOOL  COMMENCES  TO  WORK 

22  MINI.  35  SEC. 
FINISH  OF  REAMER 


22  MIN.  45  SEC. 
START  OF  FINISH  REAMER 


S  REAMER  IS  WITHDRAWN  PART  WAY 
TO  CATCH  PIECE  WHEN  CUT  OFF 


28  MIN.  15  3EO.  FINISH  OF  REAMER 
26  MIN.   35  SEC.  STOCK  FED  AND  DRILL 
READY  TO  START  ON  SECOND  PIECE 

AVERAGE  TIMEI-27  MINUTES 


Machinery 


Fig,  25.  Successive  Steps  and  Operations  employed  in  Making  the 
Shell  shown  in  Fig.  22 

in  the  multiple-spindle  machine,  but  the  turning  is  accom- 
plished by  the  operation  of  tools  mounted  on  tool-slides 
which,  in  turn,  work  on  a  turret  that  revolves  about  a  hori- 
zontal axis,  successively  presenting  the  tools  for  operation 
upon  the  work.  This  will  be  readily  understood  by  glanc- 


106 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE 


ing  at  the  illustration  Fig.  23.  It  will  also  be  noticed  from 
this  illustration  that  the  forming  tools  and  cutting-off  tools 
are  operated  from  a  face-cam  at  the  lower  part  of  the  ma- 
chine. The  forming  slide  is  actuated  by  a  cam-groove  cut 
in  one  side  of  the  cam-plate  while  the  cutting-off  slide  re- 
ceives its  movement  from  a  cam-groove  on  the  reverse  side 
of  this  plate. 

At  the  first  position  of  the  turret,  a  large  2  11/32-inch 
high-speed  oil  drill  is  run  into  the  bar  to  a  depth  of  6  1/32 
inches,  and,  at  the  same  time,  a  knee-turner  located  on  the 
tool-slide  turns  the  outside  of  the  stock,  thereby  removing 


Fig.  26.     First  Chucking  on  Warner  &  Swasey  Turret  Lathe  for 
machining    British    Forged    Shrapnel    Shells 

the  scale  from  the  bar.  Referring  to  Fig.  23,  which  shows 
the  turret  in  the  third  position,  the  end  of  this  large  drill 
is  shown  at  A,  and,  of  course,  when  at  work,  it  would  be 
in  the  position  of  the  reamer  which  is  shown  at  F.  The 
time  elapsed  at  the  completion  of  this  part  of  the  work  is 
eleven  minutes,  five  seconds. 

At  the  second  position  of  the  turret,  a  smaller  drill,  2  1/16 
inches  in  diameter,  which  is  shown  at  B,  is  run  in  at  the 
bottom  of  the  hole  previously  drilled  to  a  depth  of  29/32 
inch.  At  the  same  time  a  counterboring  tool,  which  is  lo- 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE 


107 


cated  at  C  and  which  is  attached  to  the  drill  with  a  set- 
screw,  is  at  work  counterboring  the  end  of  the  hole  in  the 
shell.  During  the  time  that  this  drilling  and  counterbor- 
ing operation  is  being  performed,  the  forming  tool  shown 
at  D  is  being  fed  into  the  outside  of  the  head  of  the  shell, 
finishing  the  three  grooves  as  shown;  in  addition,  a  sizing 
tool  E,  which  is  at  a  fixed  distance  from  the  forming  tool, 
comes  in  and  sizes  the  work  to  exactly  the  right  length. 
The  time  elapsed  up  to  the  finishing  of  this  part  of  the  work 
is  thirteen  minutes,  thirty-five  seconds. 


2ND  OPERATION 

FACE  END,   ROUND 

CORNER,  AND  FORM 

BAND  GROOVE 


UNDER-CUT  BAND  GROOVE 


Machinery 


Fig.  27.     Diagram   illustrating   Position   and   Relation  of  Tools  for 
First   Chucking   on    British    Forged   Shell 

At  the  third  position  of  the  turret,  which,  by  the  way,  is 
the  one  shown  in  Fig.  23,  the  large  taper  reamer  F  is  run 
in,  which  operation  removes  the  bulk  of  the  stock  for  the 
taper,  and  a  second  step  at  the  end  of  this  reamer  finishes 
the  extreme  end  of  the  hole  at  the  bottom  of  the  shell.  The 
blades  of  this  reamer  are  nicked  to  break  the  chips  as  they 
are  being  formed.  Before  the  reamer  begins  to  cut,  the 
knurling  tool  H  is  brought  against  the  work  (while  it  is  on 


108 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE 


the  high  speed)  by  the  cutting-off  slide,  which,  of  course, 
results  in  a  better  knurled  section  than  would  result  if  the 
knurling  of  the  piece  were  done  at  a  lower  speed.  During 
the  reaming  operation,  the  cutting-off  tool  G  is  run  in  part 
way  to  facilitate  the  final  severing  of  the  piece.  In  addi- 
tion, the  relieved  part  of  the  work  is  turned  by  a  tool 
mounted  in  a  tool-holder  on  the  slide  of  the  turret.  This 
tool  is  shown  at  /  and  it  is  operated  by  a  templet  /  which 
has  a  raised  projection  that  throws  the  tool  into  the  work 
after  it  has  reached  the  right  position  with  relation  to  the 
length  of  the  shell.  The  total  time  elapsed  up  to  the  fin- 


Fig.  28.     Set-up  on  Warner  &  Swasey  Turret   Lathe  for  Second 
Series   of   Operations   on    Forged    Shrapnel    Shell 

ishing  of  this  part  of  the  work  is  twenty-two  minutes,  thirty- 
five  seconds.  At  the  fourth  and  last  position  of  the  turret, 
a  finishing  reamer  sizes  the  outer  end  of  the  interior  of  the 
shell  and  is  withdrawn  but  part  way,  so  that,  when  the  cut- 
ting-off  slide  comes  in  and  finishes  severing  the  piece,  the 
shell  is  caught  on  the  reamer  and  not  allowed  to  drop  and 
possibly  be  injured  by  so  doing. 

The  average  total  time  for  making  this  piece  complete  is 
twenty-seven  minutes.  On  account  of  the  rigidity  of  the 
tool  support,  the  tools  do  not  require  sharpening  more 
often  than  once  for  fifty  pieces,  with  the  possible  exception 


SHRAPNEL    MANUFACTURE 


109 


of  the  cutting-off  tool,  which  must  be  sharpened  after  about 
half  that  number  of  pieces  have  been  completed. 

Using  Warner  &  Swasey  Turret  Lathe  for  Machining 
Forged  Shrapnel  Shells.  —  In  Fig.  26  is  shown  a  typical 
set-up  on  a  Warner  &  Swasey  No.  2A  universal  hollow- 
hexagon  turret  lathe  for  machining  an  18-pound  shrapnel 
shell  forging.  The  arrangement  of  the  various  tools  for 
performing  the  first  series  of  operations  is  more  clearly 
illustrated  in  Fig.  27,  to  which  reference  should  now  be 
made.  The  forging  is  located  for  machining  on  a  special 


SPECIAL  GUIDE  FOR 

STANDARD  TAPER 

TURNING  ATTACHMEN 


2ND  OPERATION 
FINISH 


Machinery 


Fig.  29.     Diagram   illustrating   Sequence  of  Operations   performed 
at  Second  Chucking 

arbor  fitted  into  the  spindle  and  carrying  two  spring-con- 
trolled centering  bushings  A.  These  serve  to  locate  the 
shell,  which  is  then  gripped  by  the  floating  jaws  of  the 
chuck  on  the  external  diameter,  and  a  stop  on  the  end  of 
the  arbor  locates  the  shell  from  the  bottom  of  the  powder 
pocket. 

The  first  operation  consists  in  taking  a  cut  from  the  ex- 
ternal diameter  with  a  special  box-turner  provided  with  a 
roll  steadyrest  and  carrying  two  turning  tools.  The  second 
operation  is  handled  from  the  cross-slide,  the  shell  forging 
meanwhile  being  supported  by  a  roll  steadyrest  clamped  to 
the  turret.  In  this  operation  the  closed  end  of  the  shell  is 


110  SHRAPNEL    MANUFACTURE 

faced  with  tool  C,  the  corner  rounded,  and  the  band  groove 
formed  with  forming  tool  D.  The  third  operation — first 
chucking — is  performed  with  tool  F  which  produces  the 
waves  in  the  band  groove,  and  is  operated  in  the  following 
manner:  Referring  to  the  lower  left-hand  corner  of  the 
illustration,  it  will  be  seen  that  a  roll  G  is  brought  in  con- 
tact with  the  face-cam  B,  thus  giving  the  desired  oscillating 
movement  to  the  waving  cutter.  The  fourth  and  final  oper- 
ation consists  in  under-cutting  the  band  groove  with  a  tool 
clamped  to  the  turret.  This  tool  gages  from  the  end  of  the 
shell  by  a  revolving  stop  H,  and  is  provided  with  two  slides, 


Fig.  30.     Third  Chucking  Set-up  on  British  Forged  Shrapnel  Shell 

set  at  the  desired  angle  to  each  other  and  the  work,  carry- 
ing under-cutting  tools  /  and  J.  These  slides  are  operated 
by  handle  K. 

The  second  chucking  on  this  shell  is  handled  as  shown  in 
Figs.  28  and  29  on  the  same  type  of  machine.  As  shown  in 
Fig.  29,  the  shell  for  this  operation  is  gripped  in  an  auto- 
matic chuck,  and  a  stop  A  for  locating  it  is  held  in  the 
spindle.  The  first  operation  consists  in  roughing  out  the 
powder  pocket  and  diaphragm  seat  with  a  cutter  B,  and 
rough-turning  that  portion  of  the  shell  held  in  the  chuck 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE 


111 


in  the  previous  chucking  with  a  tool  C.  This  tool  is  held 
in  the  cross-slide  toolpost,  and  is  controlled  in  its  movement 
by  a  special  guide  fastened  to  the  regular  taper-turning 
attachment.  The  second  operation  finishes  the  powder 
pocket  and  diaphragm  seat  with  a  cutter  D. 


2ND  OPERATION 
BACK-FACE 


3RD  OPERATION 
THREAD 


Machinery 


Fig.    31.     Diagram    illustrating    Relation    of   Tools   for   performing 
Third    Series   of   Operations 


ND  OPERATION 
COUNTERBORE  AND  TURN 


Machinery 


Fig.  32.     First  Chucking  on   French  Shell   made  from   Bar  Stock 
on   Warner   &   Swasey   Turret    Lathe 

After  the  second  chucking,  the  shell  is  heated  on  the  nose, 
closed  in  and  is  then  brought  back  to  the  turret  lathe,  when 
the  operations  are  performed  as  shown  in  Figs.  30  and  31. 


112 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE 


Here,  again,  the  forging  is  held  in  the  automatic  chuck  and 
is  located  by  a  plug  A  in  the  spindle.  The  first  series  of 
operations  consists  in  boring,  facing  and  chamfering  the 
nose  with  a  counterbore  B,  and  at  the  same  time  turning  the 
external  radius  on  the  nose  with  a  tool  C.  Tool  C  is  held 
in  the  cross-slide  square  turret  and  is  controlled  in  its 
movement  by  a  special  guide  fitting  on  the  regular  taper- 
turning  attachment. 

The  second  operation,  shown  to  the  left  of  the  illustra- 
tion, consists  in  machining  the  radius  inside  the  nose  with 


1ST  OPERATION 
TURN 


2ND  OPERATION 

FACE  END,  CHAMFER 

AND  FORM 


3RD  OPERATION 
KNURL 


TAPER- 
ATTACHMENT 


ERATION 
TAPER 

1  |  1 
II 

LJ 

"v^  — 

Machinery 


Fig.    33.     Second    Chucking    on    French    Shrapnel    Shell 

a  tool  E,  controlled  in  its  movement  by  the  special  guide  D, 
as  previously  mentioned.  The  third  and  final  operation 
consists  in  cutting  the  thread  with  a  collapsible  tap  F. 

Using  Warner  &  Swasey  Turret  Lathe  for  Machining 
Bar-stock  Shrapnel  Shells.  —  The  method  of  machining 
shrapnel  shells  from  bar  stock  differs  somewhat  from  that 
used  for  forgings,  and  is  handled  on  a  No.  2A  universal 
hollow-hexagon  turret  lathe.  In  this  particular  case,  the 
shell  blank,  previous  to  machining  in  the  turret  lathe,  is 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE 


113 


rough-drilled  in  a  high-powered  drilling  machine  to  the  bot- 
tom of  the  powder  pocket.  Assuming  that  this  has  been  ac- 
complished, the  operations  for  the  first  chucking  are  then 
carried  on  as  illustrated  in  Fig.  32.  Here  the  shell  is  held 
in  an  automatic  chuck  and  is  located  by  a  stop  A.  The  first 
operation  consists  in  counterboring  the  mouth  with  the 
counterbore  B,  and  rough-turning  the  external  diameter 
with  tool  C;  second,  counterboring  with  the  cutter  D  and 
turning  further  along  the  shell  with  a  tool  E;  third,  finish- 
ing the  bottom  with  a  cutter  F  and  facing  the  end  of  the 
shell  with  a  tool  G. 


3RD  OPERATION 
ROUGH  CHASE 
THREAD 


1ST  OPERATION 
RECESS 


2ND  OPERATI 
BORE,   FACE,   AND 
TURN  TAPER 


f~- 

\  r—  1 

/ 

o      (^ 

y 

1  —  /-*T~ 
±jt-  — 

4-TH  OPERATION 
FINISH  THREAD 


SPECIAL  GUIDE  FOR 
STANDARD  TAPER  ATTACHMENT 


Machinery 


Fig.    34.     Third    and    Final    Chucking    on    French    Shrapnel    Shell 

In  the  second  chucking,  the  operations  shown  in  Fig.  33 
are  performed.  Here  the  shell  is  reversed  in  the  automatic 
chuck  and  is  located,  as  before,  by  a  stop  A.  The  first 
operation  consists  in  turning  that  portion  of  the  body  held 
in  the  chuck  in  the  previous  chucking  with  a  roll-supporting 
turning  tool  B.  Second,  supporting  the  shell  with  a  roller 
support  C  held  on  the  turret,  facing  the  end  with  a  tool  D, 
and  chamfering  the  band  groove  and  the  end  with  a  cutter  E 
held  on  the  cross-slide  square  turret.  The  third  operation 
is  to  support  the  shell  from  the  turret,  knurling  with  a 


114 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE 


knurl  F  from  the  cross-slide  square  turret.  Fourth,  taper- 
turn  from  the  end  to  the  band  groove  with  a  tool  G,  guided 
by  the  taper-turning  attachment. 

For  the  third  chucking,  the  shell,  as  indicated  in  Fig.  34, 
is  held  in  the  same  manner  as  for  the  first  chucking.  First, 
it  is  recessed  with  a  tool  A  and  brought  into  action  by  oper- 
ating the  special  holder  which  has  a  cross-sliding  movement ; 
second,  it  is  bored  and  faced  with  a  counterbore  B  from  the 
turret,  and  taper-turned  with  a  tool  C  operated  by  a  special 
guide  from  the  taper-turning  attachment.  In  the  third 
operation,  the  thread  in  the  nose  is  rough-chased  with  a 


--WT- 


Machinery 


Fig.  35.     Diagram  showing  Method  of  holding  and  performing  First 
Series  of  Operations  on    Forged   Shells  on   "Lo-swing"    Lathe 

tool  D,  controlled  in  its  movement  by  the  chasing  attach- 
ment of  the  machine;  fourth,  the  thread  is  finished  with  a 
tap  and  tap-holder  E. 

Machining  Shrapnel  Shell  Forgings  on  the  "Lo-swing" 
Lathe.  —  By  adding  a  simple  carriage  to  its  "Lo-swing" 
lathe,  the  Fitchburg  Machine  Works,  Fitchburg,  Mass.,  has 
adapted  this  machine  for  machining  shrapnel  shells  of  dif- 
ferent types..  The  following  data  and  illustrations  refer 
particularly  to  tooling  used  for  machining  the  Russian  and 
French  shells.  On  the  Russian  shell,  after  centering,  the 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE 


115 


forging  A  is  held  on  a  special  arbor  B  shown  in  Figs.  35 
and  36.  Placed  over  this  arbor  is  an  expanding  collar  C, 
the  inside  surface  of  which  is  chamfered  to  fit  against  sur- 
face D  on  the  stem  of  the  arbor.  The  section  of  the  arbor 
next  to  the  spindle  is  threaded  and  a  large  nut  and  hand- 
wheel  E  are  turned  to  pull  the  sliding  sleeve  C  along  the 
arbor  and  thus  expand  it  to  firmly  grip  the  inside  of  the 
shell  forging.  Sleeve  C  is  connected  to  the  nut  E  by  a 
threaded  collar  F.  After  the  forging  is  securely  located  on 
the  arbor,  which  it  should  be  understood  extends  to  the 
bottom  of  the  powder  pocket  to  gage  it  for  length,  the  tail- 
center  G  is  run  in  to  support  it. 


Fig.  36.     Set-up  for  performing   First  Series  of  Operations  on 
Russian   Forged  Shell  on   "Lo-swing"   Lathe 

To  those  familiar  with  the  "Lo-swing"  lathe,  it  will  be  ap- 
preciated that  its  chief  efficiency  lies  in  its  system  of  multi- 
ple turning  tools.  Thus,  on  this  job,  tools  H,  I,  J,  K,  L,  and 
M  are  all  mounted  on  one  slide,  and  in  the  illustration  are 
shown  in  the  positions  they  occupy  after  taking  their  re- 
spective cuts.  At  the  beginning  of  the  cut,  turning  tools  K, 
L,  and  M  are  drawn  back  clear  of  the  work  to  allow  suf- 
ficient clearance  for  tools  H  and  I  to  operate.  With  the 
tools  drawn  back  and  the  carriage  at  the  extreme  right  of 
the  bed,  tool  H  is  the  first  to  come  in  contact  with  the  work. 
This  tool  takes  a  roughing  cut  over  the  body  of  the  forg- 
ing, finishing  at  the  radius  on  the  nose. 


116 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE 


Tool  H  is  controlled  in  its  action  by  a  former  pin  on  the 
tool-slide,  held  in  contact  with  the  face  of  cam  former  0  by 
a  stiff  spring.  Former  slide  O  takes  the  place  of  the  regu- 
lar taper-turning  former  ordinarily  used  on  the  "Lo-swing" 
lathe.  When  the  former  pin  in  the  slide  carrying  tool  H 
reaches  point  P  on  former  O,  the  tool  is  withdrawn  to  con- 
form with  the  shape  shown  at  N  on  the  forging.  The  tool 
is  then  fed  in  further  toward  the  axis  of  the  arbor,  until 
the  former  pin  reaches  point  Q  on  the  slide,  when  the  radius 
on  the  nose  is  completed.  Tool  H  is  the  only  one  mounted 
on  a  taper-turning  block. 


Machinery 


Fig.  37.     Diagram  showing  Method  of  performing  Second  Series  of 
Operations   on    Forged   Shrapnel    Shells   on   "Lo-swing"    Lathe 

Just  after  tool  H  passes  point  N,  tool  I  commences  to  cut 
at  the  end  of  the  forging,  taking  a  finishing  cut  and  ending 
up  in  the  position  in  which  it  is  shown  in  the  illustration. 
After  tool  /  reaches  this  position,  the  other  tools  J,  K,  L,  and 
M  are  brought  into  action.  Tools  K,  L,  and  M  are  so  sit- 
uated on  the  carriage  that  no  lateral  feeding  is  required. 
When  these  tools  are  in  action,  the  roller  support  R  takes 
the  thrust.  Tool  K  roughs  out  the  band  groove  and  is  fed 
into  the  work  by  a  handwheel.  Tool  L  cuts  the  groove  for 
attaching  the  brass  case  to  the  shell,  and  tool  M,  carried  on 
the  same  block,  faces  the  end.  Tools  K,  L,  M,  and  S  are 
located  on  the  same  carriage  and  are  fed  in  together.  Tool 


SHRAPNEL  MANUFACTURE  117 

S  rounds  the  corner  of  the  shell.  The  carriage  on  which 
tools  K,  L,  M,  and  S  are  located  is  now  drawn  back  out  of 
the  way,  and  the  entire  carriage  moved  over  so  that  tool  J 
can  be  used  to  under-cut  the  rifling  band  groove.  After 
cutting  off  the  center  projection,  the  first  series  of  opera- 
tions on  the  shell  is  completed. 

Second  Series  of  Operations  on  the  Russian  Shell.  — 
The  second  series  of  operations  is  performed  on  the  inside 
of  the  shell  on  the  "Lo-swing"  lathe,  which  is  provided  with 
a  special  turret  for  this  purpose.  As  is  shown  in  Figs.  37 
and  38,  the  shell  A  is  held  in  special  collet  jaws  B  that  have 
a  two-point  bearing  on  the  shell.  Stop  C  in  the  spindle 


Fig.  38.     Set-up  on  "Lo-swing"   Lathe  for  performing  Second 
Series  of  Operations  on   Russian  Shell 

locates  the  shell  in  the  chuck.  To  manipulate  the  chuck  for 
tightening  it  on  the  work,  handwheel  D  is  turned,  carrying 
with  it  the  nut  E  and  ring  F.  Ring  F  carries  pins  sliding 
in  slots  in  sleeve  H  and  driven  into  collet  B,  so  that  when 
nut  E  is  drawn  back  it  also  carries  collet  B  into  the  taper 
in  sleeve  H,  closing  the  collet  on  the  work.  Turning  hand- 
wheel  D  in  the  opposite  direction  releases  the  grip  of  the 
collet  B  on  the  work.  The  first  operation  is  performed 
with  tools  /,  /,  K,  and  L.  Tool  /  bores  the  powder  pocket, 
tool  /  roughs  the  diaphragm  seat,  tool  K  rough-turns  the 
thread  diameter  at  the  shell  mouth,  and  tool  L  faces  the 
end.  The  turret  is  now  indexed,  and  boring-bar  carrying 


118 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE 


tool  M  is  brought  into  operation.  This  tool  turns  the  curved 
interior  of  the  shell.  To  accomplish  this,  the  turret  lock- 
ing-pin is  removed,  allowing  the  turret  to  float  on  its  cen- 
tral axis.  Fastened  on  the  ways  of  the  lathe  at  the  rear 
of  the  turret  by  a  clamp  O  is  the  cam  bracket  N  carrying 
the  guiding  cam  P.  This  cam,  through  pins  Q  and  R  in 
bracket  S,  controls  the  float  of  the  turret  and  guides  the 
cutting  tool  M.  In  the  illustration,  the  tool  is  shown  at  the 


Machinery 


Fig.  39.     Diagram  showing  Method  of  machining  French  Shells  on 
"Lo-swing"    Lathe — First    Series    of    Operations 

end  of  the  cut.  It  will  also  be  noted  that  one  surface  of 
the  cam  is  curved  and  the  other  is  straight;  therefore,  to 
compensate  for  this  and  also  to  steady  the  turret,  pin  R 
is  backed  up  by  a  spring.  Clamp  O  is  now  released  and 
bracket  N  moved  back  to  allow  the  turret  to  be  indexed. 
Bracket  N  is  located,  when  brought  into  the  operating  po- 
sition, by  a  stop  on  the  bed  of  the  lathe. 


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119 


120  SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE 

great  many  of  the  French  shells  are  made  from  solid  bar 
stock,  and  when  this  is  the  case,  the  first  operation,  per- 
formed as  shown  in  Fig.  39,  consists  in  rough-drilling.  If 
the  shell  is  made  from  a  forging,  this  operation,  of  course, 
is  dispensed  with  and  the  first  tool  used  carries  boring  and 
facing  cutters,  as  shown  at  A,  B,  C,  and  D.  These  rough- 
bore  the  three  diameters  on  the  inside  of  the  shell  and  face 
off  the  end  to  length.  The  next  operation  is  accomplished 
with  two  finishing  boring  tools  E  and  F,  the  depth  of  which 
is  obtained  by  an  adjustable  collar  G  that  comes  against  the 


Fig.  41.     Set-up  on  "Lo-swing"  Lathe  for  performing  Second 
Series  of  Operations  on  Straight  Type  of  French  Shell 

produced  with  a  collapsible  tap  H.  The  turret  is  then  in- 
dexed two  holes,  bringing  the  special  recessing  tool  into 
position.  This  tool  is  of  the  cross-slide  type  and  carries  a 
back  recessing  cutter  /.  This  completes  the  first  series  of 
operations  on  the  shell. 

Second  Series  of  Operations  on  Shell.  French  —  The  sec- 
ond series  of  operations  on  a  French  shell  is  accomplished 
as  shown  in  Fig.  40.  Here  the  shell  is  held  in  the  same 
manner  as  described  in  connection  with  Fig.  35.  The  forg- 
ing is  placed  on  arbor  B  that  has  an  expanding  sleeve  C 
operated  by  the  hand-clamping  wheel  nut  D.  Eight  cutting 


1ST   CHUCKING 
2ND  OPERATION 


1st  CHUCKING 
3RD  OPERATION 


Fig.  42.     Set-up  and  Tool    Equipment  on  the  "Llbby"  Turret   Lathe 


121 


122  SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE 

tools  are  located  on  the  carriage.  Tool  A  turns  the  diame- 
ter at  the  open  end  of  the  shell,  B  the  central  part,  C  cuts 
the  band  groove,  D  chamfers  the  section  adjacent  to  the 
band  groove,  E  chamfers  the  end  of  the  shell,  and  F  knurls 
the  band  groove.  Roll  G,  in  connection  with  roll  H,  sup- 
ports the  shell  while  the  knurling  is  being  done,  whereas 
tool  /  faces  off  the  end  of  the  shell.  At  the  beginning  of 
the  cuts,  tools  C,  D,  E,  and  knurl  F,  also  roll  G  and  tool  /, 
are  withdrawn.  This  permits  tool  A  to  cut  the  front  end 
of  the  shell  at  the  beginning  and  finish  the  diameter  at  the 
open  end  of  the  shell.  Tool  B  next  comes  into  action  and 
turns  the  central  part  of  the  shell.  Tool  C  is  then  located 
in  the  correct  position  for  the  band  groove  and  the  carriage 
on  which  tools  C,  D,  and  E  are  located  is  fed  straight  in, 
cutting  the  band  groove  -and  chamfering.  Knurl  F  is  then 
brought  into  position  to  knurl  the  groove,  with  roll  G 
backing  up  the  work  against  roll  H.  The  last  operation 
is  to  cut  off  the  center  projection  with  tool  /. 

Fig.  41  shows  the  tool  set-up  on  the  "Lo-swing"  lathe  for 
machining  the  straight  type  of  French  shell,  in  which  two 
tool-blocks  are  used  for  doing  the  straight  turning.  The 
leading  tool  turns  the  end  of  the  shell  a  little  larger  than 
the  main  body.  The  procedure  for  grooving,  knurling,  and 
facing  the  shell  is  that  previously  described  for  the  forged 
shell,  which  is  shown  in  Fig.  35.  On  the  French  shrapnel 
shell  the  second  operation  follows  directly  after  the  first, 
whereas  on  the  Russian  forged  shell  a  nosing-in  operation 
comes  between  the  two  machining  operations. 

Using  the  "Libby"  Turret  Lathe  for  Machining  Shrapnel 
Shells.  —  One  of  the  many  ways  of  machining  a  shrapnel 
shell  is  illustrated  in  Figs.  42  and  43.  This  shows  the  set-up 
on  the  "Libby"  turret  lathe,  manufactured  by  the  Interna- 
tional Machine  Tool  Co.,  Indianapolis,  Ind,  In  the  first 
chucking,  the  forging,  as  shown  at  A,  is  held  on  a  special 
solid  arbor  provided  with  a  series  of  corrugations  where  it 
contacts  with  the  forging.  This,  in  addition  to  providing 
a  rigid  support,  assists  in  gripping,  and  the  shell  is  also 
gripped  by  a  pair  of  chuck  jaws  that  act  as  drivers.  First, 
a  gang  tool-holder  carrying  three  stellite  turning  tools  o  is 


2ND  CHUCKING 
2ND  OPERATION 


SRD  CHUCKING 
4TH   OPERATION 


AlacJiincrji 


Fig.  43.     Set-up  and  Tool   Equipment  on  the 
"Libby"  Turret  Lathe 


123 


124 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE 


1ST  CHUCKING-2D  OPERATION 

D 


1ST  CHUCKING- 

irhi         i  Tw^1 

rt-HJ  jr\r  i     j,  j—  !  TK 

— Ital   T-J— $iJ 

^          84. 


1ST  CHUCKING— 4TH  OPERATION 


Fig.  44.     Machining  Shrapnel  Shell  Forgings  on  a  22-inch 
Extra-heavy   Turret    Lathe 


SHRAPNEL  MANUFACTURE  125 

brought  into  position,  and  the  cutting  is  started,  continu- 
ing for  a  distance  of  one-third  of  the  length  turned.  To 
provide  additional  support,  a  roller  back-rest,  carrying  a 
facing  tool,  is  brought  in  to  steady  the  work,  and,  as  it  is 
fed  forward,  the  end  of  the  forging  is  faced  off  and 
chamfered. 

The  second  operation  on  the  first  chucking  is  shown  at  B. 
Here  the  cutter  a  is  brought  in  first  and  starts  the  band 
groove,  after  which  the  under-cutting  tool  b  is  brought  in 
to  under-cut  the  edges  of  the  groove.  In  the  meantime, 
roller  c  supports  the  work.  Upon  the  completion  of  the 
groove,  the  holder  carrying  cutter  d  is  advanced  to  finish- 
face  the  end  of  the  work  and  chamfer. 

The  third  operation — cutting  the  waves  in  the  band 
groove — is  of  an  interesting  character  and  is  accomplished 
as  shown  at  C.  A  cam  e  which  is  free  to  rotate  with  the 
work  is  first  brought  in  contact  with  it ;  then  the  cross-slide 
is  advanced,  carrying  the  waving  tool  /  and  the  guide  g. 
The  guide  g  fits  in  the  cam  groove  and  controls  the  opera- 
tion of  the  waving  tool. 

In  the  second  chucking  on  the  first  operation  the  shell  is 
reversed  in  the  chuck  and  is  held  in  the  manner  indicated  at 
D,  Fig.  43.  The  forging  is  located  in  the  chuck  by  a  stop- 
collar  h,  and  is  gripped  on  the  external  diameter  by  the 
jaws  of  the  chuck.  A  stepped  boring  tool  carrying  five 
inserted  blades  is  brought  in  to  rough-bore  the  internal 
diameters  and  machine  the  shell  to  the  proper  thickness  at 
the  bottom  of  the  powder  pocket.  This  tool  also  carries  a 
facing  cutter  that  faces  off  the  shell  to  the  proper  length. 
While  the  boring  tool  is  working,  a  broad  turning  tool,  held 
on  the  cross-slide,  is  brought  in  to  bevel  the  nose  prepara- 
tory to  closing  in.  The  next  step  is  to  taper-ream  the  inter- 
nal diameter,  as  shown  at  E.  This  completes  the  opera- 
tions for  the  second  chucking. 

The  nose  of  the  shell  is  now  heated  and  closed  in,  after 
which  the  third  series  of  operations  is  performed.  The 
first  step  in  the  third  chucking  is  to  bore  for  the  thread 
and  face  the  end  of  the  shell  with  a  turret  tool,  as  shown 
at  F.  The  next  operation  is  to  machine  the  curved  con- 


126 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE 


3b 


- 


3D  CHUCKING-FORMING  END 
J 


Machinery 


Fig.   45.     Machining    Shrapnel    Shell    Forgings   on    a   22-inch 
Extra-heavy    Turret    Lathe 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE 


127 


tour  of  the  nose  of  the  shell  with  a  special  turret  tool  as 
shown  at  G.  Here  a  wide  forming  cutter  i,  held  in  a  turret 
tool-holder,  is  brought  in  contact  with  the  work,  finishing 
the  nose  of  the  shell  to  the  proper  form.  During  this 
operation,  the  shell  is  supported  by  a  roller  in  the  holder. 
The  next  operation  is  to  form  the  inside  of  the  nose  of 
the  shell  to  the  proper  shape,  as  shown  at  H.  This  is  ac- 
complished with  a  forming  blade  /,  held  in  a  holder  clamped 
in  the  toolpost.  Following  this,  a  collapsible  tap  is  brought 
in  from  the  turret  to  thread  the  nose  of  the  shell,  as  shown 
at  /. 


Machinery 


hig.   46. 


Method   of   holding    Shrapnel    Shells  for   First   Operation 
on    a   22-inch   Turret    Lathe 


Machining  Shrapnel  Shells  on  a  Heavy  22-inch  Turret 
Lathe.  —  Still  another  method  of  machining  shrapnel  shells 
in  a  heavy  turret  lathe  is  shown  in  Figs.  44  and  45.  The 
shell  being  machined  is  an  18-pound  British  shrapnel  shell 
made  from  a  forging.  It  is  held  on  an  expanding  arbor 
for  the  first  operation,  as  shown  in  Fig.  46.  The  arbor  is 
of  the  three-point  support  type  and  is  positive  in  its  grip. 
Around  the  periphery  of  the  nose-piece  are  located  three 
pinions  A  capable  of  being  rotated  by  a  square-ended 
wrench.  These  mesh  with  teeth  in  bevel  gear  B  which,  in 
turn,  is  threaded  onto  arbor  C.  The  forward  end  of  this 
arbor  is  cone-shaped  and  operates  the  three  gripping  fingers 
in  the  open  end  of  the  shell,  whereas  another  rod  passing 
through  arbor  C  and  connected  to  plunger  D  operates, 
through  the  coil  spring,  the  three  fingers  used  in  gripping 


128 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE 


the  shell  by  the  powder  pocket.  This  arbor  holds  the  shell 
securely  while  the  machining  operations  are  being  accom- 
plished. 

The  first  operation  performed  at  the  first  chucking  of  the 
work  is  shown  at  C  in  Fig.  44.  Here  a  turning  tool-holder 
clamped  to  the  turret  and  carrying  two  cutters  is  advanced 
and  takes  a  roughing  cut  from  the  exterior  diameter  of 
the  shell  for  practically  its  entire  length.  The  shell  is 
supported  by  three  roller  supports  as  illustrated.  The  sec- 
ond operation  at  the  first  chucking  is  performed  from  the 
cross-slide,  as  shown  at  D.  Here  a  forming  tool  of  the 
tangent  type  roughs  out  the  rifling  band  groove,  leaving 


Machinery 


Fig.  47.     Cutting  Square  Thread  in   Nose  of  French  Shrapnel 
Shell  in  "Automatic"  Threading  Lathe 

sufficient  metal  in  the  center  for  the  production  of  the  wave 
ribs.  The  third  operation  is  facing  off  the  closed  end  of  the 
shell  from  the  turret  as  shown  at  E,  and  the  fourth  opera- 
tion consists  in  machining  the  waved  ribs  as  shown  at  F. 
The  tool  for  accomplishing  this  operation  is  held  on  the 
cross-slide  and  is  operated  from  a  face-cam  on  the  nose  of 
the  spindle. 

In  the  second  chucking  the  shell  is  held  in  a  three- jaw 
scroll  chuck.  The  first  operation  is  to  rough-bore  the  in- 
side of  the  shell  and  powder  pocket  with  a  tool  G,  Fig.  45, 
held  in  the  turret ;  directly  after  this  a  finishing  tool  of  the 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE 


129 


same  shape  is  brought  in,  finishing  the  surfaces  previously 
roughed  out.  The  second  operation  is  to  face  off  the  open 
end  of  the  shell  and  taper-form  back  of  the  nose  from  the 
cross-slide,  as  shown  at  H,  and  at  the  same  time  turn  that 
portion  of  the  exterior  surface  of  the  shell  not  machined 
in  the  previous  operation  with  a  tool  clamped  to  the  turret 
as  shown  at  /. 

Previous  to  the  third  chucking,  the  nose  of  the  shell  is 
heated  and  closed  in.     The  shell  is  then  held  in  a  three-jaw 


Machinery 


Fig.  48.     Threading   Base   End  of  Bar-stock  Shrapnel  Shells  in 
"Automatic"  Threading    Lathe 

scroll  chuck  provided  with  special  jaws.  The  first  opera- 
tion, as  shown  at  /,  consists  in  boring  and  turning  the  nose 
of  the  shell  with  a  tool  held  in  the  turret.  Following  this, 
the  hole  is  reamed  with  a  standard  reamer  and  tapped  with 
a  collapsible  tap.  Both  of  these  tools  are  held  in  the  turret, 
but  are  not  shown  in  the  illustration.  This  completes  the 
machining  operations  on  the  shell. 

Threading  Shrapnel  Shells  on  "Automatic"  Threading 
Lathes.  —  Considerable  difficulty  has  been  experienced  in 
cutting  the  square  thread  in  the  nose  of  the  French  shrapnel 


130 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE 


shell.  One  method  which  accomplishes  this  operation  sat- 
isfactorily is  shown  in  Fig.  47,  and  is  accomplished  on  a 
12-inch  "Automatic"  threading  lathe  built  by  the  Automatic 
Machine  Co.,  Bridgeport,  Conn.,  and  equipped  with  special 
tools  for  this  purpose.  Referring  to  this  illustration,  it 
will  be  seen  that  two  tools  are  used — a  roughing  tool  A, 
and  a  finishing  tool  B.  Tool  A  roughs  out  the  thread  to  a 
shape  similar  to  the  Acme  type  of  thread,  whereas  tool  B 
squares  it  up.  The  roughing  and  finishing  tools  are  held 
on  the  forward  and  rear  carriages,  respectively,  and  are 


Fig.  49.     Turning,  facing,  and  threading  Plugs  for  Closed  End  of  Bar- 
stock  Shrapnel  Shells  in  "Automatic"  Threading   Lathe 

operated  simultaneously,  being  advanced  throughout  the 
length  of  the  thread,  withdrawn  and  returned  to  start  a 
new  cut.  The  method  of  operating  the  tools  is  one  of  the 
chief  features  of  the  "Automatic"  threading  lathe. 

The  base  end  of  shrapnel  shells  when  made  from  bar 
stock  is  as  a  rule  bored  out  and  a  plug  inserted  to  eliminate 
any  piping  effect  in  the  bar.  Fig.  48  shows  the  method  of 
accomplishing  this  operation  on  a  12-inch  "Automatic" 
threading  lathe.  The  work  is  held  in  a  three- jaw  universal 
chuck  and  is  supported  by  a  roll  steadyrest  comprising  two 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE 


131 


rolls  that  are  located  beneath  the  work.  On  the  extended 
end  of  the  rear  roller  stud  is  fastened  a  swinging  stop  that 
is  used  for  locating  the  base  of  the  shell  in  the  correct 
position  ready  for  threading.  The  base  of  the  shell  is  coun- 
terbored  in  another  machine,  previous  to  the  threading  op- 
eration. The  threading  is  done  with  a  circular  tool  held 
on  a  special  internal  threading  tool-holder,  the  latter  being 
retained  in  the  toolpost  carriage.  The  threading  tool-holder 
can  be  moved  longitudinally  to  bring  it  into  the  proper 
relation  to  the  work.  It  is  also  held  so  that  the  cutting 
edge  is  turned  upside  down  as  this  action  forces  the  work 


Fig.  50.     Grinding  Shrapnel  Shells  on  a  Norton  Special-purpose  Grinding 

Machine 

down  in  contact  with  the  roller  supports.  By  handling 
the  work  in  this  manner,  a  steadyrest  of  the  ordinary  type 
is  dispensed  with  and  the  operation  of  the  attachment 
facilitated. 

One  method  of  making  plugs  for  the  base  end  of  shrapnel 
shells  when  made  from  bar  stock  is  shown  in  Fig.  49.  For 
this  work,  a  12  by  4  "Automatic"  threading  lathe  equipped 
with  special  tools  designed  for  this  purpose  is  used.  The 
machine  is  provided  with  a  draw-in  collet  chuck  that  holds 
the  rough  forged  blank.  The  order  of  handling  the  opera- 


132 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE 


tions  on  this  machine  is  to  use  the  rear  tool  A  for  turning 
the  external  diameter  of  the  plug.  This  is  handled  at  the 
same  rate  of  feed  as  that  required  for  threading,  so  that  it 
is  sometimes  necessary  to  take  more  than  one  cut,  depend- 
ing on  the  amount  of  material  left  on  the  diameter.  The 
vertical  slide  B  is  for  facing  only  and  carries  a  cutting  tool 
C.  This  is  supposed  to  finish  the  face  in  one  cut,  but  as 
the  work  will  spring  considerably,  a  light  finishing  cut  is 
taken  when  the  tool  is  being  drawn  back  from  the  center  to 
the  circumference  of  the  work.  The  threading  tool  D  is 
held  on  the  front  toolpost  and  is  of  single-point  construc- 
tion. The  feed  given  to  this  tool  is  automatically  controlled, 
both  as  to  pitch  and  depth  of  cut  at  each  traverse. 

In  actual  operation,  both  the  threading  and  turning  tools 
are  in  motion  all  the  time  on  the  work,  but  the  tools  are  in- 


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Fig.  51.     Diagram  showing  Sclerpscope  Hardness  Test  of  Heat- 
treated  Shrapnel  Shell  at  Various  Points  along  its  Surface 

dependency  controlled  so  that  either  one  can  be  operated 
separately.  A  stop  is  provided  on  the  back  toolpost  so  as 
to  turn  each  plug  to  the  same  diameter.  The  automatic 
throw-out  for  the  feed  of  the  threading  tool  is  set  from  the 
front  handle  on  the  ratchet  and  pawl  as  regularly  furnished 
on  the  "Automatic"  threading  lathes. 

Grinding  Shrapnel  Shells.  —  An  increasingly  large  num- 
ber of  shrapnel  shell  manufacturers  are  finishing  the  steel 
shell  by  grinding  instead  of  finish-turning.  That  is,  the 
exterior  surface  of  the  shell  is  rough-turned  to  within  from 
0.030  to  0.080  inch  of  the  finished  size  and  is  then  finished 
to  the  required  limits  and  shape  by  grinding,  as  shown  in 
Fig.  50.  It  is  claimed  by  the  advocates  of  grinding  that 
the  finishing  operations  are  more  speedily  performed  in  this 
manner  and  that  a  more  accurate  and  concentric  shell  is 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE 


133 


produced.  They  also  point  out  the  fact  that  portions  of  the 
shell  are  so  hard  that  it  is  extremely  difficult,  if  not  impos- 
sible, to  turn  it  in  the  allowable  time. 

The  varied  heat-treatment  given  to  the  shell  on  the  closed 
end  and  nose  leaves  it  harder  in  some  sections  than  others, 
as  indicated  in  Fig.  51.  The  section  E,  2y%  inches  from  the 
closed  end  of  the  shell,  must  strike  from  42  to  50  on  the 
scleroscope,  and  the  section  A  at  the  nose  must  strike  be- 
tween 20  and  25.  The  section  marked  Z),  or  that  part  of  it 
to  the  left  of  the  line  that  marks  the  limit  of  the  heat- 
treating  on  the  closed  end,  has  not  been  heat-treated  at  all, 


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Fig.   52.     Two-operation    Method   of   grinding   Shrapnel    Shells   on 
Norton    Grinding    Machines 

and  partly  on  this  account,  and  also  because  of  the  grad- 
ually diminishing  thickness  of  the  shell  along  this  section, 
it  strikes  between  40  and  45,  decreasing  as  the  thickness  of 
the  wall  diminishes,  until  at  C  the  section  strikes  but  35. 
Section  B,  adjacent  to  the  annealed  nose  of  the  shell,  strikes 
about  30  on  the  scleroscope. 

On  the  other  hand,  some  manufacturers  are  not  putting 
the  shell  through  this  heat-treating  and  tempering  process, 
and  omit  the  annealing  and  machining  of  the  nose  after  the 
nosing-in  operation.  This  leaves  the  nose  with  considera- 
ble stock  to  remove  and  in  such  a  condition  as  regards  hard- 


134 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE 


ness  that  the  grinding  machine  becomes  a  necessity.  In 
the  face  of  these  varying  degrees  of  hardness  of  the  shrap- 
nel shell,  it  will  be  seen  that  it  is  difficult  to  secure  wheels 
of  the  right  grain  and  grade  to  suit  all  of  these  conditions. 
With  this  information  in  mind,  we  can  more  intelligently 
take  up  the  actual  grinding  of  the  shell.  The  Norton  Grind- 
ing Co.,  Worcester,  Mass.,  has  been  actively  engaged  in 
developing  methods  of  grinding  shrapnel  shells  and  the  fol- 
lowing illustrations  and  descriptions  apply  to  this  work. 


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Fig.  53.     Three-operation   Method  of  grinding  Shrapnel  Shells  on 
Norton    Grinding    Machines 

Fig.  52  shows  the  two-operation  method  of  grinding  the 
shrapnel  shell.  Section  A  at  the  open  end  of  the  shell  is 
covered  by  a  wide-faced  wheel  formed  to  shape,  that  fin- 
ishes the  radius  on  the  nose  at  one  in-feeding  of  the  wheel. 
Sections  B,  C,  and  D  are  covered  by  a  wide-faced  wheel, 
formed  to  shape  so  as  to  finish  these  three  surfaces  at  one 
in-feeding  of  the  wheel.  Section  E  at  the  closed  end  of  the 
shell  is  finished  completely  by  turning. 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE  135 

Some  manufacturers  use  a  three-operation  method  of 
grinding  the  shrapnel  shell  as  illustrated  in  Fig.  53.  In 
this  case,  the  sections  A  and  D  are  first  ground  with  the 
same  wheel,  as  American  manufacturers  deem  it  advisable 
to  grind  surface  A  rather  than  to  finish  it  by  turning.  The 
second  stage  in  this  grinding  is  the  finishing  of  the  nose  E 
with  a  formed  wheel,  and  the  third  stage  is  the  finish-grind- 
ing of  the  body  at  points  B  and  C. 

Two-operation    Method   of   Grinding  Shrapnel   Shells.— 
The  procedure  followed  in  grinding  shrapnel  shells  by  the 
two-operation  method  is  first  to  screw  plugs  into  the  open 


Fig.  54.     Radius  Wheel-truing   Device  for  forming  Grinding 
Wheel   for  grinding   Shrapnel   Shell    Nose 

end  of  the  shells,  as  shown  in  Fig.  52.  The  outer  ends  of 
these  plugs  are  centered,  and  the  projection  left  on  the 
closed  end  of  the  shell  with  the  center  intact  acts  as  a  means 
of  supporting  the  shell.  Some  of  the  Canadian  manufac- 
turers vary  this  practice  by  cutting  off  the  center  projec- 
tion on  the  closed  end  of  the  shell  and  fitting  a  cap  with  a 
center  hole  over  the  closed  end.  Others  use  a  ball-bearing 
cup  center  to  carry  the  closed  end.  American  manufac- 
turers, however,  leave  the  center  projection  on  the  shell 
until  after  the  grinding  has  been  finished. 

In  grinding  the  nose  end  of  the  shell,  the  amount  of  metal 
removed  varies  from  0.020  to  0.090  inch  on  the  diameter. 


136  SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE 

The  grinding  wheel  operates  at  from  6000  to  6250  surface 
feet  per  minute.  The  speed  of  the  work  is  75  revolutions 
per  minute,  or  a  surface  speed  of  practically  75  feet,  and 
the  machine  used  is  a  Norton  6  by  32  plain  grinder.  The 
wheel  used  is  generally  14  inches  in  diameter  by  214-inch 
face.  The  wheel  requires  truing  for  every  five  to  twenty 
shells,  depending  upon  the  amount  of  metal  removed  and 
the  hardness  of  the  shell.  For  truing,  a  simple  radius  fix- 
ture carrying  a  diamond  is  used.  Fig.  54  shows  this  wheel- 
truing  device  clamped  on  the  grinding  machine  bed.  It  is 
applied  in  the  same  manner  as  the  usual  steadyrests  used 


Fig.  55.     Norton  Special  Form  Wheel-truing  Device  for  truing 
Wheel   for   grinding   Shrapnel   Shell    Body 

for  supporting  the  work.  The  diamond  is  mounted  in  a 
swinging  arm  that  is  operated  by  a  hand  lever  as  shown. 
By  successive  cuts  across  the  wheel,  the  desired  shape  is 
attained. 

For  grinding  the  body  either  a  10  by  24  special-purpose 
or  10  by  36  Norton  grinding  machine  is  employed.  The 
amount  of  metal  removed  from  the  body  varies  from  0.030 
to  0.075  inch  on  the  diameter,  and  the  limits  vary  from  0.002 
to  0.010  inch,  depending  largely  on  the  requirements  of  the 
plant  in  which  the  work  is  being  done.  The  wheel  used  on 
the  body  is  20  inches  in  diameter  and  is  of  the  ring-wheel 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE 


137 


Fig.  56.     Besly  No.  14  Ring  Wheel  Grinder  equipped  for  grinding 
Shrapnel,  but  shown  without   Hoods  and  Water  Attachments 

type.  It  will  be  noticed  in  Fig.  52  that  the  wheel  for  grind- 
ing the  body  is  also  formed  to  shape.  The  method  of  truing 
the  wheel  for  shaping  the  shrapnel  shell  body  is  shown  in 


Machinery 


Fig.   57. 


Fixture  used   on    Besly   No.   14   Ring   Wheel   Grinder  for 
grinding  Center  End  from  Shrapnel   Forgings 


Fig.  55.  This  attachment  is  clamped  to  the  front  of  the 
grinding  machine  bed  and  at  the  top  of  the  bracket  is  fitted 
a  slide  A  operated  by  handwheel  B.  Upon  the  face  of  this 


138  SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE 

slide  nearest  the  grinding  wheel  is  pivoted  an  angular  arm 
C  that  supports  the  diamond  D  at  its  lower  end.  Under  the 
end  of  the  upper  arm  is  a  spiral  spring  that  keeps  the 
diamond  normally  back  from  the  wheel.  A  plate  former  E 
clamped  to  the  bottom  face  of  the  bracket  is  shaped  to  agree 
with  the  form  to  be  given  the  wheel.  At  the  lower  ex- 
tremity of  the  arm  and  behind  the  diamond  is  mounted  a 
roll  F  that  bears  constantly  against  form  E.  When  the 
diamond  slide  is  reciprocated  by  turning  the  handwheel,  the 
diamond  is  made  to  traverse  a  path  conforming  with  the 
cam  that  guides  it.  By  moving  the  wheel  in  toward  the 
diamond  and  making  successive  traversings  of  the  diamond, 
the  wheel  is  given  the  desired  shape. 


Fig.    58.     Tools   for    making    Base    of    Powder    Cup 

For  grinding  the  body,  the  wheel  must  be  trued  after 
every  ten  to  twenty-five  shells  are  ground,  depending  upon 
the  amount  of  metal  removed  and  the  hardness  of  the  shell. 
In  grinding  shrapnel  shells,  the  usual  method  is  to  fit  a  lot  of 
the  shells  with  the  driving  plugs  and  carry  them  all  through 
to  completion  before  removing  the  plugs. 

Removing  Center  End  From  Shrapnel  Forgings.  —  For 
performing  practically  all  the  machining  operations  on  the 
shell,  a  center  projection  is  left  on  the  closed  end  of  the 
shell  for  supporting  it.  This,  of  course,  must  be  removed 
before  the  shell  is  completed.  One  method  of  doing  this  is 
to  use  a  Besly  No.  14  ring-wheel  grinder  equipped  with  a 


SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE 


139 


special  fixture.  A  Besly  grinder  fitted  up  for  this  work  is 
shown  in  Fig.  56,  and  the  fixture  used  for  holding  the  shell 
is  shown  in  Fig.  57.  The  machine,  as  furnished,  is  arranged 
for  wet  grinding,  but  is  not  so  fitted  up  in  the  illustration. 
The  fixture  is  fastened  to  the  geared  lever  feed  table  and  is 
of  simple  design.  It  is  provided  with  a  backing-up  stop  A, 
the  work  resting  in  two  semi-spherical  groove  projections 
on  the  fixture.  The  operator  simply  holds  the  shrapnel  shell 
in  place  by  hand  and  then  feeds  it  in  against  the  wheel  and 
traverses  it  past  in  the  usual  manner.  The  time  for  remov- 
ing a  %-inch  diameter  stub  end  projecting  %  inch  from  the 
body  of  the  shell  is  less  than  a  minute. 

Press  Tools  for  Making  Powder  Cup. —  In    the    British 
shrapnel  shell,  the  powder  in  the  base  of  the  shell  used  for 


Fig.  59.     Tools  for  making  Top  Member  of  Powder  Cup 

exploding  it  and  ejecting  the  lead  bullets,  etc.,  is  held  in  a 
tin-plate  powder  cup.  This  is  completed  in  the  punch  press 
in  the  manner  shown  in  Figs.  58  and  59,  and  comprises  two 
parts,  a  base  and  a  top.  The  base  is  made  from  tin  plate 
0.022  inch  thick,  whereas  the  top  is  made  from  0.036  inch 
thick  tin  plate.  The  bottom  of  the  cup  is  completed  in  one 
operation  with  the  punch  and  die  shown  in  Fig.  58,  which  is 
held  in  a  single-action  press.  It  is  turned  out  from  a  blank 
3  7/32  inches  in  diameter  and  is  cut  out  and  formed  in  one 
operation.  The  completed  size  is  2*4  inches  diameter  by  % 
inch  high.  After  cupping,  the  top  edge  is  trimmed  in  a 
turret  lathe.  The  press  operations  on  the  top,  as  shown  in 
Fig.  59,  are  a  little  more  complex.  The  first  operation  con- 


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SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE  141 

ferent  governments  varies.  There  are  252  in  the  Ameri- 
can 15-pound  shell,  and  235  or  236  in  the  British  15-pound 
shell.  The  bullets  used  by  the  U.  S.  government  have  six 
flattened  sides,  to  facilitate  packing,  whereas  those  used 
by  foreign  governments  are  spherical. 

There  are  several  methods  of  making  shrapnel  bullets. 
One  is  to  cast  the  bullets  in  iron  molds,  which  are  split  in 
the  center,  so  that  the  bullet  can  be  removed  when  cast. 
Another  is  to  cut  off  slugs  from  lead  wire  and  strike  these 
between  dies  in  a  heading  machine.  The  bullet  heading 
machine  takes  the  wire  from  a  reel,  cuts  it  oif ,  forms  it  and 
trims  off  the  resultant  flash  automatically.  In  making  the 
American  bullets,  a  second  operation  follows,  consisting  in 
flattening  the  sides.  The  Waterbury  Farrel  Foundry  & 
Machine  Co.  furnishes  unit  equipments  for  doing  this  work. 
For  the  flattened  bullets,  the  unit  consists  of  one  hydraulic 
wire  extruding  press  and  fourteen  heading  machines  cap- 
able of  giving  a  production  of  850.  bullets  per  minute.  For 
the  spherical  bullet,  the  unit  equipment  consists  of  one 
hydraulic  extruding  press  and  eight  heading  machines,  giv- 
ing a  production  of  950  bullets  per  minute. 

The  method  of  casting  lead  bullets  in  ordinary  molds  is 
antiquated,  and  another  method  somewhat  similar  to  that 
just  described  has  taken  its  place.  The  first  step  is  to  pro- 
duce the  wire  from  which  the  bullets  are  eventually  made. 
This  is  accomplished  in  two  ways.  The  first  is  the  hot  metal 
process  and  consists  in  pouring  the  molten  lead  into  a 
cylinder,  from  which  it  is  extruded  through  a  die  by  a 
plunger  advanced  into  the  cylinder.  By  this  method,  it  is 
necessary  to  allow  the  metal  to  settle  before  the  press  can 
operate.  An  improvement  over  this  is  utilized  in  presses 
built  by  a  hydraulic  lead  press  manufacturer  of  Brooklyn, 
and  consists  in  first  casting  ingots  of  the  required  diameter 
and  length  and  then  charging  the  press  with  these  instead 
of  pouring  the  molten  lead  into  the  press  chamber.  Two 
presses  have  been  designed  for  this  process.  One  has  a 
capacity  of  700  tons  and  is  charged  with  ingots  weighing 
150  pounds,  whereas  the  other  has  a  900-ton  capacity  and 
is  charged  with  200-pound  ingots.  The  product  from  these 


142  SHRAPNEL   MANUFACTURE 

two  machines  is  1800  pounds  of  lead  wire  from  the  small 
and  2500  pounds  from  the  large  press  per  hour.  The  wire 
as  it  is  extruded  from  the  die  is  wound  on  a  reel  carrying 
2000  pounds  of  wire. 

There  are  two  principal  types  of  swaging  machines  used 
for  making  these  lead  bullets  from  wire.  One  carries  a 
single  set  of  dies,  whereas  the  other  carries  twelve  sets  of 
tools.  The  operation  of  the  latter  will  be  described.  Re- 
ferring to  the  diagram,  Fig.  60,  twelve  reels  of  lead  wire- 
not  shown — are  arranged  in  tandem  on  stands  behind  the 
press,  six  reels  in  a  row.  The  wire  is  conveyed  from  these 
reels  to  the  dies  by  a  feeding  mechanism,  being  guided  to 
the  individual  tools  by  a  plate  A,  having  twelve  U-shaped 
impressions  in  its  top  edge.  The  wire  now  passes  over  a 
spring  B  which  serves  to  lift  it  up  slightly  at  each  stroke 
of  the  press.  The  tools  C  and  D,  as  shown,  are  provided 
with  half -spherical  depressions  in  their  adjacent  faces  and 
are  set  so  that  they  come  within  1/64  inch  of  meeting.  The 
dies  are  guided  and  controlled  in  action  by  a  special  mechan- 
ism, and  the  press  in  which  they  are  carried  operates  at  70 
revolutions  per  minute.  This  gives  a  rated  production  of 
840  bullets  per  minute.  As  is  clearly  indicated  in  the  illus- 
tration, considerable  scrap  is  formed  in  making  lead  bullets 
by  this  process — in  fact  the  scrap  is  about  33  per  cent  of 
the  reel  of  wire;  also  owing  to  the  setting  of  the  punches 
a  slight  fin  is  formed  around  the  periphery  of  the  bullet. 

After  forming,  the  bullets  are  taken  to  a  tumbling  ma- 
chine where  they  are  tumbled  for  one  hour.  No  other  ma- 
terial is  put  into  the  tumbling  barrel,  but  the  action  of  the 
bullets  working  on  themselves  satisfactorily  removes  all  the 
fins.  Both  the  swaging  and  tumbling  operations  must  be 
carefully  watched  because  of  the  necessity  of  having  the 
bullets  a  certain  weight.  The  allowable  variation  on  one 
pound  of  bullets  is  one  dram,  and  there  are  forty-one  bullets 
to  the  pound.  Ten  pounds  of  lead  rod  make  6*/2  pounds 
of  bullets,  and  the  scrap  resulting  from  the  swaging  opera- 
tion is  remelted  and  used  over  again.  After  tumbling,  the 
bullets  are  inspected  and  are  then  ready  for  use. 


CHAPTER  V 
MAKING  FUSE  PARTS 

COMBINATION  timing  and  percussion  fuses  comprise 
a  large  number  of  small  parts  made  from  different  metals 
and  alloys,  and  are  produced  in  various  ways.  Some  of  the 
parts  are  made  from  brass  rod  or  alloys  of  copper  and 
aluminum,  whereas  others  are  made  from  hot-pressed  f  org- 
ings  and  are  machined  after  being  formed  to  shape.  In 
the  following,  a  brief  description  of  several  different 
methods  of  making  the  most  important  fuse  parts  will  be 


Fig.  1.     Tools  used   in  forging   Brass  Fuse  Socket 

illustrated  and  described,  together  with  details  regarding 
the  forging  tools  used  for  the  socket  and  plug. 

Forging  the  Fuse  Socket.  —  The  fuse  socket,  which 
screws  into  the  nose  of  the  shrapnel  shell  and  acts  as  a 
base  for  the  fuse,  is  made  from  a  special  forgeable  alloy 
casting  containing  40  per  cent  copper,  58  per  cent  zinc,  and 
2  per  cent  lead.  The  first  step  in  this  process  is  to  melt 
the  above  constituents  in  the  usual  manner  and  then  to  cast 
the  slugs  in  sand  molds,  six  to  eight  being  gated  together. 
These  castings  are  made  2  11/16  inches  in  diameter  by 
11/16  inch  thick,  as  shown  in  Figs.  1  and  2.  There  are 
several  methods  in  use  for  forging  the  plugs,  but  the  gen- 
eral principle  is  the  same.  In  this  particular  case,  a  No.  23 

143 


144 


MAKING  FUSE   PARTS 


Bliss  press  capable  of  exerting  a  pressure  of  250  tons  i& 
used.  The  castings  are  placed  in  the  furnace  where  they 
are  allowed  to  "soak"  at  a  temperature  varying  from  1200 
to  1300  degrees  F.,  or,  in  other  words,  until  they  reach  a 
dull  red  color.  One  casting  at  a  time  is  then  quickly  re- 
moved and  placed  in  the  impression  of  the  die  shown  to- 
the  right  in  Fig.  1  and  in  detail  in  Fig.  2.  The  working 


Machinery 


Fig.  2.     Diagram  showing  Construction  of  Tools  used   in 
forging     Fuse    Socket 

parts  of  these  dies  are  made  from  Jessop's  high-carbon 
tool  steel  and  one  blow  of  the  press  completes  the  forging, 
turning  out  about  3000  in  ten  hours.  The  tools  used  for 
this  purpose  are  of  interesting  construction,  as  shown  in 
Fig.  2.  They  comprise  a  lower  die  A  machined  out  to  the 
shape  of  the  finished  forging  and  carrying  an  ejector,  and 


MAKING  FUSE   PARTS  145 

lower  former  B  operated  by  plunger  C  which  ejects  the  forg- 
ing if  it  sticks  in  the  die.  The  top  member  or  punch  com- 
prises a  holder  D  into  which  the  punch  E  is  screwed.  This 
is  bored  out  to  fit  an  ejector  F  which  ejects  the  forging  as 
the  ram  of  the  press  ascends.  Punch  E  and  stripper  or 
ejector  F  are  made  from  high-speed  steel,  hardened.  G 
shows  the  cast  blank  and  H  the  completed  forging. 

Forging  Brass  Plugs.  —  The  brass  plug  shown  in  Fig.  3 
is  used  as  a  temporary  cap  for  the  shrapnel  to  protect  it 
during  transportation.  It  remains  in  the  fuse  socket  until 
the  shrapnel  shell  reaches  the  field  of  operations,  when  it 
is  removed  and  replaced  by  the  timing  fuse.  This  member 
is  made  from  a  special  forgeable  alloy  casting  2  inches  in 


Fig.    3.     Tools    used    for   forging    Brass    Plug 

diameter  by  %  inch  thick  and  is  cast  in  sand  molds  in  a 
similar  manner  to  the  fuse  socket.  It  is  also  composed  of 
the  same  constituents  as  the  socket  and  is  forged  in  the 
same  type  of  press.  The  construction  of  the  tools, 
however,  varies  somewhat  from  that  of  the  tools  used  in 
making  the  socket,  as  will  be  seen  upon  reference  to  Figs. 
3  and  4.  The  tools  for  the  plug  comprise  a  lower  die  A 
carrying  a  combined  ejector  and  forming  die  B.  Inserted 
in  this  lower  forming  die  is  a  secondary  ejector  C  which  is 
operated  by  plunger  D.  The  upper  member  of  this  forging 
tool  consists  of  a  punch-holder  E  carrying  forming  punch  F 
which  is  counterbored  to  receive  an  ejector  ring  G.  Pass- 
ing down  through  the  center  of  punch  F  is  a  center-punch  H 


146 


MAKING  FUSE   PARTS 


that  is  made  in  two  parts.  The  lower  member  is  made  of 
high-speed  steel,  hardened,  whereas  the  upper  portion  is 
ordinary  carbon  steel.  This  center-punch  is  operated  to 
eject  the  forging  by  a  plunger  /  on  the  up-stroke  of  the 
press  through  the  action  of  three  pins  J  coming  in  contact 
with  the  flange  on  punch  H.  K  shows  the  rough  casting 
and  L  the  completed  forging. 


Machinery 


Fig.   4. 


Diagram  showing   Construction   of  Tools  for 
forging    Brass   Plug 


Tooling  for  Machining  Brass  Socket.  —  The  New  Britain 
automatic  chucking  machine,  referred  to  in  the  following, 
consists  essentially  of  a  multiple-chuck  turret  with  capacity 
for  holding  five  or  six  pieces  of  work,  acted  upon  simulta- 
neously by  four  or  five  tool-holding  spindles.  The  sequence 
of  operations  is  similar  to  that  of  a  multiple-spindle  screw 


MAKING  FUSE   PARTS 


147 


machine.  A  finished  piece  is  removed  and  a  rough  blank 
inserted  at  each  indexing.  The  machine  is  not  idle  while 
chucking,  there  being  one  more  chuck  than  spindles. 


ADVANCE  0.022    PER   REV.   OF  SPINDLES 
PRODUCTION  120  PIECES  PER  HOUR 


Machinery 


Fig.  5.     Diagram  showing   First  Series  of  Operations  on   Fuse 
Socket  on  the  New  Britain  Automatic  Chucking   Machine 

The  shrapnel  socket  which,  as  previously  explained,  is 
made  from  a  brass  casting  and  pressed  into  rough  shape,  is 
machined  in  two  settings  in  the  New  Britain  No.  24  chuck- 


148 


MAKING  FUSE   PARTS 


ing  machine.  This  machine  has  four  spindles,  and  at  the 
first  spindle  position,  as  shown  in  Fig.  5,  reamer  A  cleans 
out  the  hole  in  the  pressed  brass  blank,  counterbore  B 
cleans  out  the  inside,  and  tool  C  faces  the  end.  At  the 


ADVANCE  0.022    PER   REV.    OF  SPINDLES 
PRODUCTION   120  PIECES  PER  HOUR 


Machinery 


Fig.  6.     Diagram   illustrating  Second  Series  of  Operations  on    Fuse 
Socket   on    New    Britain    Automatic    Chucking    Machine 


MAKING  FUSE   PARTS 


149 


ADVANCE  0.025 'PER  REV.   OF  SPINDLE 
PRODUCTION  50  PIECES  PER  HOUR 


Machinery 


Fig.  7.     First  Series  of  Operations  on  Fuse   Body  on   No.  73 
Seven-spindle    New    Britain    Automatic   Chucking    Machine 

second  spindle  position,  reamer  D  finishes  the  central  hole, 
counterbore  E  faces  the  bottom,  and  tool  F  chamfers  the 
hole. 


150  MAKING.  FUSE   PARTS 

The  under-cutting  preparatory  to  threading  is  done  at  the 
third  spindle  position.  The  operation  is  performed  with 
tool  G  working  on  the  cross-cutting  head  H.  When  the 
pressed  blank  is  fed  in  and  reaches  stop  /,  it  commences  to 
push  the  housing  H  of  the  cross-cutting  head  backward. 
A  pair  of  stationary  fingers  J  operate  in  oblique  slots  in 
the  housing  H,  and  as  the  housing  presses  down  on  these 
fingers,  the  motion  gives  a  cross  movement  to  the  under- 
cutting tool  G  and  its  arbor  K.  In  this  manner,  the  under- 
cutting of  the  piece  is  performed.  The  fourth  spindle 
operation  is  simply  that  of  tapping  the  threaded  interior 
with  a  tap  L. 

Second  Operation  on  Shrapnel  Socket.  —  Fig.  6  shows 
the  order  of  operations  performed  on  the  shrapnel  socket 
at  the  second  chucking,  the  work  being  screwed  on  threaded 
arbors.  At  the  first  spindle  position,  pilot  A  engages  the 
central  hole,  while  tool  B  turns  the  external  diameter,  tool 
C  chamfers  the  corner,  tool  D  turns  the  thread  diameter, 
tool  E  faces  the  shoulder,  and  counterbore  F  finish-forms 
the  nose  of  the  piece.  At  the  second  position,  these  same 
surfaces  are  machined  with  finishing  tools  of  the  same 
design  as  those  just  described. 

At  the  third  spindle  position,  the  shoulder  at  the  end  of 
the  threaded  section  is  under-cut.  This  is  done  by  a  cross- 
cutting  head,  similar  to  that  shown  in  Fig.  5  and  carrying 
the  cutter  G.  At  the  fourth  spindle  position,  the  final  oper- 
ation— threading — is  performed  with  die  H. 

Machining  Fuse  Bodies.  —  In  Fig.  7  is  illustrated  an  in- 
teresting tooling  set-up  for  machining  a  fuse  body.  This 
is  done  on  the  No.  73  seven-spindle  New  Britain  automatic 
chucking  machine.  The  operations  in  this  set-up  are  per- 
formed on  one  end  only  of  the  fuse  body.  Strictly  speak- 
ing, this  is  a  seven-spindle  machine,  but  the  first  four  spin- 
dles carry  internal  spindles  running  at  high  speed  that  co- 
operate with  the  external  spindles  in  machining  the  work, 
making  this  virtually  an  eleven-spindle  machine.  At  the 
first  spindle  position,  the  broad  face  and  stem  are  machined 
with  cutters  A  of  hollow-mill  type,  and  centering  tool  B,  car- 
ried in  the  inner  spindle,  centers  the  work  for  drilling. 


MAKING  FUSE  PARTS 


151 


In  the  second  spindle  position,  tools  C  bevel  the  external 
diameter  of  the  flange  at  the  same  time  that  drill  D  is  pro- 
ducing the  hole  in  the  stem.  In  the  third  spindle  position, 
roll  D  supports  the  work  against  the  thrust  of  beveling  tool 
E,  and  the  small  drill  F  held  in  the  internal  spindle  deepens 
the  hole.  At  the  fourth  spindle  position,  the  external  spin- 
dle carries  a  hollow-mill  G  that  finishes  the  stem  diameter, 
and  a  counterbore  H  is  carried  in  the  internal  spindle  to 
machine  the  central  hole. 


Fig.  8. 


Machining  a  Shrapnel    Head   on  the   New   Britain 
No.  24  Automatic   Chucking    Machine 


A  cross-cutting  head  in  the  fifth  spindle  position  carries 
a  circular  tool  /  that  machines  on  both  sides  of  the  section 
subsequently  to  be  threaded,  and  while  this  operation  is 
being  performed  the  pilot  J  steadies  the  work  as  well  as  the 
tool-holder.  In  the  sixth  spindle  position,  the  small  hole  is 
threaded  with  tap  K,  and  the  exterior  is  threaded  with  a 
die,  tap  and  die  being  of  different  pitches.  In  the  seventh 
spindle  position,  a  holder  carries  the  forming  tool  M  for 


152 


MAKING  FUSE   PARTS 


cutting  grooves  in  the  face  of  the  flange,  and  the  same  spin- 
dle carries  a  reamer  N  that  finishes  the  hole  in  the  stem. 

Machining  Steel  Shrapnel  Heads. —  Heads  for  shrapnel 
shells  made  from  cold-drawn  steel  stampings  are  machined 


ADVANCE  0.0125    PER  REV.  OF  SPINDLE 
PRODUCTION  62  PIECES  PER  HOUR 


Machinery 


Fig.    9. 


First   Series  of   Operations  on   Shrapnel    Head   on   the 
New    Britain    Automatic    Chucking    Machine 


in  two  settings  on  a  No.  24  New  Britain  automatic  chucking 
machine  of  the  four-spindle  type,  shown  in  Fig.  8.  This 
piece,  shown  in  Fig.  9  in  its  sequence  of  operations,  is  espe- 
cially difficult  to  machine  on  account  of  the  stringy  nature 
of  the  metal.  The  work  is  held  for  the  first  chucking  with 


MAKING  FUSE   PARTS 


153 


ADVANCE  0.0125    PER  REV.   OF  SPINDLE 
PRODUCTION  90  PIECES  PER  HOUR 


Machinery 


Fig.  10.     Second  Series  of  Operations  on  Shrapnel  Head  on  the 
New    Britain    Automatic    Chucking    Machine 

the  small  end  out,  and  in  the  first  spindle  position  the  fac- 
ing on  the  end  is  distributed  between  tools  A  and  B,  while 
counterbore  C  roughs  out  and  chamfers  the  hole.  In  the 
second  spindle  position,  tool  D  faces  the  end,  and  counter- 
bore  E  finishes  the  hole.  A  cross-cutting  head  of  a  type 
similar  to  that  previously  described  is  carried  in  the  third 


154 


MAKING  FUSE   PARTS 


spindle  position.  This  retains  a  tool  F  which  produces  an 
annular  groove  in  the  nose  of  the  head,  the  work  being  sup- 
ported with  pilot  G.  The  fourth  and  last  operation  consists 
in  threading  the  hole  with  the  tap  H. 


ADVANCE  0.0167    PER  REV.    OP  SPINDLE 
PRODUCTION  225  PIECES  PER  HOUR 


Machinery 


Fig.  11.     Diagram  showing  Tooling  Set-up  for  machining  Fuse  Nose 
on    New    Britain    Automatic    Chucking    Machine 


MAKING  FU$E   PARTS 


155 


ORMING  TOOL 

1ST  OPERATION 

SELF-OPENING  DIE 


NTERNAL 
NECKING  TOOL, 


2o  OPERATION 


3D  OPERATION 


2o  OPERATION 


FIRST  SERIES  OF  OPERATIONS 


3D  OPERATION 


SECOND  SERIES  OF  OPERATIONS 


Fig.    12.     Machining    Brass    Fuse    Socket    on    3^/4-inch    "Gridley" 
Automatic  Turret  Lathe — First  and  Second  Series  of  Operations 

Second  Series  of  Operations  on  Shrapnel  Heads.  —  The 
set-up  for  the  series  of  operations  performed  at  the 
second  chucking  is  shown  in  Fig.  10,  the  work  being  held 


156  MAKING  FUSE   PARTS 

on  threaded  arbors.  In  the  first  spindle  position,  tools  A 
and  B  face  the  shoulder,  and  counjerbore  C  machines  a 
seat  in  the  inner  flange.  In  the  second  spindle  position, 
counterbore  D  finishes  the  part  roughed  out  by  C  in  the 
previous  operation,  tool  E  faces  the  end,  and  tool  F  cham- 
fers the  inner  edge.  In  the  third  position,  a  cross-cutting 
attachment  carrying  external  cutting  tool  G  is  utilized  for 
recessing  the  external  diameter  next  to  the  shoulder.  The 
threading  on  the  external  diameter  is  accomplished  with 
the  die  H  in  the  fourth  spindle  position. 

Machining  Shrapnel  Fuse  Noses.  —  The  time  fuse  nose 
for  a  shrapnel  shell,  which  is  made  from  a  brass  forging,  is 
machined  as  shown  in  Fig.  11  on  a  No  33  New  Britain 
automatic  chucking  machine  at  one  setting.  It  this  case, 
an  extra  spindle  designated  as  No.  0  is  added  to  the  machine 
for  equalizing  or  properly  locating  the  forging  in  the  chuck 
when  it  is  being  tightened.  At  the  first  spindle  position, 
tool  A  takes  a  cut  from  the  external  diameter,  tool  B  cuts 
an  annular  recess  in  the  face,  and  counterbore  C  roughs  out 
the  center  portion.  In  the  second  spindle  position,  the  same 
operations  are  performed  with  finishing  tools.  In  the  third 
spindle  position,  a  cross-cutting  head  carries  a  recessing 
tool  D  that  forms  a  recess  back  of  the  tapped  portion.  The 
hole  is  then  tapped  in  the  fourth  spindle  position,  and  in  the 
fifth  spindle  position  a  special  counterbore  F  takes  a  light 
finishing  cut  from  all  the  surfaces  previously  machined. 
The  external  surfaces  of  the  fuse  nose  are,  machined  on  a 
turret  lathe. 

Machining  Shrapnel  Fuse  Parts  on  "Gridley"  Automatics. 
—  The  machining  of  fuse  parts  for  the  British  shrapnel 
shell  on  "Gridley"  single-  and  multiple-spindle  automatics, 
made  by  the  Windsor  Machine  Co.,  Windsor,  Vt.,  forms  the 
basis  of  several  interesting  tooling  equipments.  A  num- 
ber of  the  parts  are  machined  from  hot-pressed  brass  forg- 
ings,  so  that  they  must  be  handled  separately.  The  fuse 
socket,  as  has  been  previously  described,  is  made  from  a 
brass  forging  and  is  machined  complete  in  two  operations 
on  a  3% -inch  "Gridley"  automatic  turret  lathe  of  the  single- 
spindle  type.  The  manner  in  which  the  work  is  loaded  in 


MAKING  FUSE  PARTS 


157 


ORMING  TOOL 


SECOND  SERIES  OF  OPERATIONS 
FIRST  SERIES  OF  OPERATIONS  Machinery 


Fig.  13.  Diagram  illustrating  First  and  Second  Series  of  Operations 
on    Fuse    Body   on    "Gridley"    Automatic 


158  MAKING  FUSE   PARTS 

the  chuck  and  held  for  the  first  series  of  operations  is 
shown  at  A  in  Fig.  12.  The  rough  blank  a  is  first  placed 
over  the  spring  fingers  b,  which  are  held  in  a  holder  clamped 
in  the  turret,  but  are  free  to  rotate.  When  the  work  is 
pushed  into  the  chuck,  it  forces  back  spring-ejecting  stud 
c,  which,  as  soon  as  the  pressure  of  the  chuck  is  released, 
ejects  the  work. 

As  the  loading  device  operates  on  the  first  slide  of  the 
turret,  the  first  machining  operation  takes  place  on  the 
second  slide.  This  is  a  comparatively  simple  operation  and 
consists  in  boring  the  central  recess  with  a  tool  d  and  cham- 
fering with  tool  e.  The  turret  is  then  indexed,  bringing  the 
internal  necking  tool  /  into  position.  This  is  held  in  a 
holder  and  is  operated  by  the  forward  motion  of  the  forming 
slide.  Following  this,  tap  g  is  brought  into  position  to 
thread  the  recess  in  the  socket.  The  operation  of  the  tur- 
ret is  now  stopped  automatically  until  the  operator  loads  a 
new  piece  in  the  chuck.  The  tapping  is  done  with  the  spin- 
dle running  in  the  forward  direction  on  slow  speed.  After 
the  hole  has  been  tapped,  the  spindle  is  reversed  and  oper- 
ated at  a  higher  speed.  The  spindle  continues  to  run  back- 
ward for  loading,  and  is  still  running  backward,  but  slowed 
down,  at  the  time  of  the  second  operation.  It  is  for  this 
reason  that  the  boring  tool  d  operates  on  the  reverse  side 
of  the  hole,  and  tool  e  is  mounted  upside  down.  At  the 
third  operation,  the  spindle  is  still  running  backward  but 
is  speeded  to  its  highest  speed  while  the  internal  necking 
is  done  with  the  tool  on  the  reverse  side  of  the  hole. 

Second  Operation  on  Fuse  Socket.  —  The  method  of  hold- 
ing the  fuse  socket  for  performing  the  second  operation  on 
the  3 14 -inch  "Gridley"  single-spindle  automatic  turret  lathe 
is  shown  at  B  in  Fig.  12.  The  socket  h,  which  has  now 
been  threaded,  is  screwed  onto  the  body  of  special  arbor  i, 
fitting  in  sleeve  j  that  is  gripped  by  the  spring  collet.  On 
the  reduced  end  of  arbor  i  is  a  nut  which  serves  to  clamp 
the  work  up  against  the  face  of  sleeve  j.  The  method  of 
using  this  arbor  is  as  follows: 

To  chuck  the  work,  sleeve  j  and  its  auxiliary  members  are 
removed  from  the  spring  collet,  and  the  work  is  screwed 


160  MAKING  FUSE   PARTS 

position  and  back  to  slow  just  before  the  fourth  position. 

Machining  the  Fuse  Body.  —  The  fuse  body  is  made 
from  a  hot-pressed  brass  blank,  and  is  machined  in 
two  chuckings  in  "Gridley"  multiple-spindle  automatics. 
The  first  series  of  operations  is  performed  in  a  "Gridley" 
1%-inch  multiple-spindle  automatic  in  the  order  shown  to 
the  left  in  Fig.  13.  The  work  is  loaded  in  the  chuck  by 
hand.  Forming  tool  A  now  advances  and  rough-forms  the 
outer  diameter,  whereas  flat  drill  B  and  trepanning  tool  C 
combine  to  drill  the  central  hole  and  trepan  the  narrow 
channel.  At  the  second  spindle  position,  tool  D  finish- 
forms  and  necks  the  outer  surface,  while  tool  E  counter- 
bores  the  surfaces  of  the  recess.  Die  F  at  the  third  spindle 
position  now  threads  the  body,  and  at  the  fourth  spindle 
position  forming  tool  G  turns  down  the  outer  end  of  the 
thread  while  a  floating  trepanning  tool  H  finishes  the  coun- 
terbored  and  trepanned  surfaces.  It  should  be  mentioned 
here  that  the  hot-pressing  of  this  brass  part  makes  it  ex- 
tremely difficult  to  machine,  so  that  the  edges  of  the  tools 
dull  rapidly. 

Second  Series  of  Operations  on  Fuse  Body.  —  The  method 
of  holding  the  fuse  body  while  the  second  series  of  opera- 
tions is  being  performed  is  shown  in  Fig.  14.  The  work- 
spindles  A  of  the  machine  are  fitted  with  special  nose-pieces 
B,  the  inner  surface  of  which  is  chamfered  to  receive  the 
spring  collet  C,  which  is  threaded  to  the  end  of  draw-back 
rod  Z>.  The  work  is  not  gripped  directly  by  the  spring 
collet,  but  is  first  screwed  into  a  special  bushing  E,  having 
thin  walls  as  shown.  This  bushing  is  not  split  but  springs 
sufficiently  to  permit  it  to  be  closed  in  on  the  work  and 
released  when  the  collet  pressure  is  removed.  A  flange  G 
attached  to  the  end  of  the  spindle  nose  serves  as  a  stop  for 
the  work  and  a  gaging  point  for  the  operations.  The 
regular  collet  closing  mechanism  is  used,  but  as  may  be  seen 
in  the  left-hand  end,  the  finger  holders  are  reversed.  When 
the  clutch  ring  H  is  pushed  forward  by  the  chuck-closer 
gripping  fingers  /  swivel  and  draw  rod  D  backward  through 
contact  with  flange  /.  When  the  clutch  ring  H  is  moved 


MAKING  FUSE  PARTS 


161 


FORMING  TOOL 


PILOTED 

COUNTERBORING 
AND  FACING  TOOL 


Machinery 


Fig.    15. 


Diagram    illustrating    Set-up    for    machining    Timing 
Train    Rings  on   "Gridley"  Automatic 


backward,  the  gripping  fingers  release  rod  D,  relieving  the 
pressure  of  the  collet  on  bushing  E  and  the  work. 

Referring  again  to  Fig.  13,  the  second  series  of  operations 
on  the  fuse  body  is  shown  to  the  right  of  the  illustration. 
At  the  first  spindle  position,  forming  tool  /  advances  and 
forms  the  exterior  diameters,  while  drill  /  drills  the  hole 


162  MAKING  FUSE   PARTS 

in  the  end.  At  the  second  spindle  position,  the  rear  part  of 
the  work  is  supported  by  a  roll  back-rest,  while  the  regular 
turner  K  takes  a  cut  across  and  chamfers  the  shoulder.  At 
the  same  time  counterbore  L  comes  in,  cleans  up  the  drilled 
hole  and  faces  the  bottom.  At  the  third  spindle  position, 
the  diameter  M  is  threaded  with  a  plain  die.  At  the  fourth 
spindle  position,  a  tool  N  operated  from  the  turret  cuts  a 
series  of  concentric  grooves  in  the  flange  of  the  fuse  body. 
The  grooving  tool  is  cut  away  to  clear  the  forming  tool  O 
which  takes  a  light  cut  over  the  grooved  face,  finishing  the 
body  as  illustrated. 

Machining  the  Stationary  Timing  Train  Ring.  —  The 
machining  operations  on  the  stationary  timing  train  ring 
are  shown  to  the  left  in  Fig.  15,  and  as  can  be  seen  are  of 
a  comparatively  simple  nature.  This  fuse  part  is  made 
from  a  Tobin  bronze  bar  in  a  2% -inch  "Gridley"  multiple- 
spindle  automatic.  At  the  first  spindle  position,  a  drill 
held  on  the  turret  drills  the  hole,  and  a  forming  tool  on  the 
cross-slide  forms  it  to  shape  and  breaks  it  down  for  the 
cut-off  tool.  At  the  second  spindle  position,  the  piece  is 
reamed,  and  at  the  third  position  it  is  faced  off  with  an 
under-cutting  tool.  In  the  fourth  spindle  position,  not 
shown,  the  finished  piece  is  cut  off,  and  the  stock  is  fed  out. 

Machining  the  Graduated  Timing  Train  Ring.  —  The 
machining  operations  on  the  graduated  timing  train  ring 
are  almost  identical  with  the  stationary  ring  and  are  shown 
diagrammatically  to  the  right  in  Fig.  15.  This  part  is  also 
made  from  a  bar  of  Tobin  bronze  in  a  2%-inch  "Gridley" 
multiple-spindle  automatic.  The  only  difference  in  the  op- 
erations on  this  part  is  in  the  use  of  a  combination  float- 
ing counterbore,  and  facing  tool  provided  with  a  roller  pilot. 

Machining  the  Closing  Cap  and  Bottom  Closing  Screw. 
—  The  closing  cap  and  bottom  closing  screw  for  the  shrap- 
nel timing  fuse  are  made  from  brass  rod  with  a  compara- 
tively simple  tool  set-up  as  shown  in  Fig.  16.  The  machine 
used  is  a  1%-inch  "Gridley"  multiple-spindle  automatic. 
The  machining  operations  on  the  closing  cap  are  shown  to 
the  left  in  the  illustration,  and  consist  in  drilling,  counter- 
boring,  forming,  threading,  and  cutting  off.  The  opera- 


MAKING  FUSE   PARTS 


163 


COUNTERBORE 
\ 


FORMING  TOOL 


FLAT  FORMING  TOOL. 


CUTTING-OFF 
TOOL 


CUTTING-OFF 
'TOOL 


Machinery 


Fig.   16.     Diagram   illustrating   Set-ups  for  machining  Closing   Cap 

and    Bottom    Closing    Screw   on    "Gridley"    1%-inch 

Multiple-spindle   Automatic 


164 


MAKING  FUSE  PARTS 


tions  on  the  bottom  closing  screw,  shown  to  the  right  of 
this  illustration,  are  counterboring,  forming,  recessing, 
threading,  and  cutting  off. 


FEED  STOCK  TO  STOP 


*/ 


DRILL  BOTTOM  HOLE 


REAM  AND  "BOTTOM"  HOLES 


CUT-OFF—TOOL  ON 
BACK  SLIDE 


Machinery 


Fig.  17.     Method  of  machining   Fuse  Hammer  on  a   No.  2   Model   G 

Brown  &  Sharpe  Automatic  Screw   Machine  equipped  with 

-an    Eight-hole    Turret 

Making  Fuse  Parts  on  Brown  &  Sharpe  Automatic  and 
Hand  Screw  Machines.  —  A  brief  description  of  two  of  the 
many  interesting  set-ups  on  Brown  &  Sharpe  automatic 
and  hand  screw  machines  for  making  timing  fuse  parts 


MAKING  FUSE   PARTS 


165 


is  given  in  the  following1.  Timing  fuse  parts  are  made 
from  several  different  materials.  The  screws  and  other 
small  members  as  a  rule  are  made  from  brass  rod,  whereas 
the  parts  such  as  the  capsules,  primer  cups,  etc.,  are  made 
from  sheet  brass.  Other  members,  such  as  the  fuse  body 


FORM  AND  CUT-OFF — 
ERTICAL  SLIDE  TOOL 


Machinery 


Fig.  18.   Diagram  illustrating  Method  of  Machining  a  Fuse  Nut  on  a 
No.   6    Brown   &   Sharpe    Hand   Screw    Machine 

or  stem,  are  made  from  different  alloys  and  metals  such  as 
copper,  copper  aluminum,  aluminum,  etc. 

Set-up  for  Making  Fuse  Hammers.  —  The  method  of 
making  a  fuse  hammer  on  a  No.  2  Model  G  Brown  &  Sharpe 
automatic  screw  machine  provided  with  a  special  eight-hole 
turret  is  shown  diagrammatically  in  Fig.  17.  This  part  is 


166  MAKING  FUSE   PARTS 

made  from  %-inch  round  brass  rod  and  is  finished  com- 
plete in  the  screw  machine.  First,  the  stock  is  fed  out  to 
the  stop  in  the  turret.  Second,  the  end  is  centered  and 
faced  with  tools  held  in  tool-holder  A.  The  body  is  then 
formed  with  a  circular  tool  B  working  from  the  front  cross- 
slide  ;  at  the  same  time  the  turret  is  revolved,  bringing  tap 
drill  C  into  operation.  The  forming  tool  is  working  at  the 
same  time  as  the  drills.  The  turret  is  again  revolved  and 
drill  D  for  finishing  the  middle  hole  is  brought  in  and  com- 
pletes its  operation.  At  the  next  index  of  the  turret,  drill  E 
finishes  the  bottom  hole.  The  turret  is  now  indexed  and  a 
recessing  tool-holder  carrying  tool  F  advances  and  is 
brought  into  operation  to  recess  the  work  by  a  pusher  on 
the  cross-slide.  The  turret  is  again  indexed  and  a  reamer 
G  is  advanced  to  bottom  and  ream  the  holes.  Upon  the 
next  index  of  the  turret,  tap  H  threads  the  work,  which  is 
finally  cut  off  with  circular  tool  /.  The  stock  is  rotated  at 
973  R.  P.  M.  forward  and  backward  for  drilling  and  turn- 
ing, and  at  421  R.  P.  M.  forward  for  threading.  The  stock 
is  cut  off  rotating  backward.  The  surface  speed  for  the 
forming  tools  is  220  feet  per  minute  and  31  feet  per  minute 
for  the  tap. 

Tool  Set-up  for  Making  Fuse  Nut.  —  The  fuse  nut  on 
the  Russian  timing  fuse  is  made  from  1  %-inch  round 
brass  rod  in  a  No.  6  wire-feed  Brown  &  Sharpe  hand-screw 
machine  as  shown  in  Fig.  18.  First  the  stock  is  fed  out 
to  length,  being  gaged  by  a  stop  in  a  vertical  slide,  which 
is  held  in  the  turret.  The  turret  is  then  indexed  and  drill 
A  drills  the  large  hole.  The  turret  is  now  revolved  and  the 
combination  drill  B  is  advanced.  The  turret  is  again  re- 
volved and  counterbore  C  faces  and  counterbores  the  work. 
Upon  the  next  index  of  the  turret,  a  vertical  slide  tool-holder 
carrying  recessing  tool  D  is  advanced.  This  tool-holder  is 
operated  by  a  handle  attached  to  the  holder.  The  turret  is 
again  indexed  and  tap  E  threads  the  work.  After  this  the 
turret  is  indexed  and  the  work  is  recessed  with  a  tool-holder 
F  carrying  two  cutters  which  balance  each  other  in  cutting. 
The  seventh  operation  is  performed  from  both  the  front 
and  rear  cross-slides  with  tools  G  and  H.  The  eighth  oper- 


MAKING  FUSE   PARTS  167 

ation  is  cutting  off.  This  is  performed  with  a  special  verti- 
cal slide  tool-holder  held  in  the  turret  and  operated  by  a 
handle.  The  stock  for  these  operations  is  rotated  at  352 
R.  P.  M.,  giving  a  surface  speed  for  the  forming  tools  of 
180  feet  per  minute  and  66  feet  per  minute  for  the  tap. 

Making  Fuse  Parts  on  Hand  Screw  Machines.  —  The  de- 
mand for  shrapnel  fuse  parts  has  been  so  great  that  time 
has  not  been  taken  in  all  cases  to  tool  up  automatic  screw 
machines  before  production  has  been  started.  In  order  to 
get  parts  out  quickly  while  automatic  machines  are  being 
tooled  up,  hand  screw  machines  have  been  made  use  of. 


Fig.  19.     Machining   Fuse  Parts  on   F.   E.  Wells  &  Son's 
Hand  Screw  Machine 

These  machines  are  also  used  to  a  large  extent  on  small 
orders  and  to  help  out  production  in  general.  Fig.  19 
shows  an  F.  E.  Wells  &  Son  Co.  hand-screw  machine  work- 
ing on  shrapnel  fuse  parts.  The  capacity  of  this  machine 
is  for  %-inch  diameter  rod  and  it  will  tap  or  drill  %  inch 
diameter.  Shrapnel  fuse  parts  are  produced  on  this  ma- 
chine at  the  rate  of  from  25  to  100  pieces  per  hour. 

Drilling  Percussion  Primers  for  Fuses.  —  The  percussion 
primer,  used  in  the  American  combination  fuse  shown  in 
Fig.  3,  Chapter  I,  is  made  in  a  Brown  &  Sharpe  automatic 
screw  machine  from  brass  rod  in  two  operations.  Follow- 


168  MAKING  FUSE   PARTS 

ing  the  screw  machine  operations,  four  holes  about  1/32 
inch  in  diameter  are  drilled  through  this  bushing,  employ- 
ing a  special  "snap  index"  jig  in  a  high-speed  ball-bearing 
drilling  machine  made  by  the  Leland-Gifford  Co.  of  Wor- 
cester, Mass.  (See  Fig.  20.)  The  extremely  small  size  of 
this  part  makes  it  difficult  to  handle,  so  the  jig  was  designed 


Fig.  20.     Drilling   Percussion    Primers  on   a    Leland-Gifford    Ball 
Bearing    Sensitive    Drilling    Machine 

with  a  special  loading  arm  to  facilitate  rapid  handling. 
The  jig  consists  of  a  platform  base  bolted  to  the  table  of 
the  drilling  machine.  Upon  this  is  the  index  ring,  which  is 
turned  by  handles  /  and  indexed  for  the  four  drilling  posi- 
tions by  spring  plunger  /.  The  center  of  rotation  is  in 
the  center  of  the  four  holes  in  the  part.  B  is  the  loading 


MAKING  FUSE   PARTS 


169 


lever,  with  a  nest  A  at  the  end  into  which  the  work  is  slip- 
ped. This  lever  swings  on  stud  C.  The  work  is  located 
in  the  swinging  arm  B  when  it  is  in  the  position  shown  in 
the  illustration,  with  the  arm  B  resting  against  stop  D. 
The  arm  is  then  swung  under  the  drill  until  it  reaches  stop 
E.  It  is  maintained  in  this  position  by  spring  plunger  H 
that  bears  against  lever  F,  fulcrumed  on  stud  G.  The  side 
of  this  lever  bears  against  the  work  and  holds  it  firmly 


Fig.  21.   Drilling  Fuse  Plugs  on  "Avey"  Drilling  Machine 

while  the  drilling  is  proceeding.  The  drill  is  guided  by 
four  bushings  in  plate  L,  mounted  on  the  index  ring.  The 
operation  consists  in  rotating  the  index  ring  to  the  four 
stations  for  drilling  the  respective  holes.  By  means  of  this 
quick-indexing  ring,  and  the  high  speed  at  which  the  Leland- 
Gifford  drilling  machine  runs,  it  is  possible  to  drill  as  many 
as  6000  pieces,  or  24,000  holes  in  ten  hours. 


170 


MAKING  FUSE   PARTS 


Drilling  Timing  Fuse  Plugs.  —  An  application  of  a  regu- 
lar No.  %  "Avey"  drilling  machine,  built  by  the  Cincinnati 
Pulley  Machinery  Co.,  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  to  the  drilling  of 
brass  timing  fuse  plugs  is  shown  in  Fig.  21.  The  require- 
ments are  to  drill  three  No.  55  (0.052  inch)  holes  through 
the  dome  of  the  plug  ;  a  number  of  pieces  are  shown  on  the 

table  of  the  machine. 
These  three  holes 
practically  run  to- 
gether at  the  inside 
of  the  dome,  making 
it  necessary  to  drill 
one  hole  at  a  time. 
The  fixture  used  for 
this  purpose  is  of 
unique  construction. 
The  body  A  is  made 
of  an  aluminum  cast- 
ing, whereas  the 
operating  mechanism 
is  of  hardened  tool 
steel.  The  drill  spin- 
dle is  operated  by  a 
foot  treadle,  connec- 
tion being  secured 
through  rod  B,  pass- 
ing down  through 
the  fixture  and  fast- 
ened to  the  spindle 
sleeve  by  the  L- 
shaped  piece  and 
yoke  C.  The  work  E 

•       i^ij     -_     Q     Crm/»ial 

work-spindle   located 

inside  the  fixture  that  is  indexed  one-third  revolution 
through  the  medium  of  rod  B  upon  the  raising  of  the  drill 
spindle  sleeve.  The  work  holding-down  and  ejecting 
mechanism  is  supported  in  aluminum  bracket  F.  Attached 
to  this  bracket  is  a  supporting  arm  for  the  lower  crank  of 


Fig.    22.     Graduating    Timing    Fuse    Rings 
on    Dwight-Slate    Marking    Machine 


MAKING   FUSE   PARTS  171 

lever  G,  which  holds  a  segment  gear.  Bracket  D  carries 
the  drill  bushing. 

After  drilling  the  third  hole,  the  operator  depresses  lever 
G,  rotating  the  segment  gear  meshing  in  rack  teeth  in  rod 
H,  which  lifts  the  latter  up  to  eject  the  work  and  at  the 
same  time  through  a  connection,  not  shown,  raises  the 
holding-down  rod.  The  ejector,  not  shown,  which  is  spring 
controlled,  returns  to  a  neutral  position  immediately  upon 
the  ejection  of  the  work,  while  the  holding-down  rod  is  still 
raised.  The  work,  after  being  discharged,  falls  into  a  chute 
and  is  carried  to  the  rear  of  the  machine.  The  operation 
of  this  fixture  is  rapid,  the  production  being  from  9000  to 
10,000  pieces  in  ten  hours. 

Graduating  Fuse  Timing  Ring. —  As  has  been  previously 
stated,  the  adjustable  ring  on  the  timing  fuse  is  graduated 
in  seconds,  starting  at  zero  and  running  to  twenty-one  sec- 
onds. As  shown  in  Fig.  22,  the  graduating  of  this  timing 
ring  is  performed  in  the  Dwight-Slate  marking  machine 
built  by  Noble  &  Westbrook,  Hartford,  Conn.  The  main 
arbor  of  the  machine  carries  the  stamping  roll  A  and  is 
turned  by  the  handle  shown.  The  timing  ring  to  be  grad- 
uated and  marked  is  held  at  B.  The  two  gears  C  prevent 
the  stamp  from  "creeping"  ahead  or  slipping  on  the  work. 
The  work-holding  arbor,  as  shown,  is  held  in  a  bracket  and 
is  raised  to  the  stamp  roll  by  pressure  on  the  foot  treadle. 
Two  operations  are  required  for  stamping  and  graduating 
the  timing  ring.  The  first  is  marking  the  graduations  and 
the  second  is  putting  on  the  figures. 


CHAPTER  VI 
MAKING  SHRAPNEL  CARTRIDGE  CASES 

THE  brass  cartridge  case  that  contains  the  powder 
charge  for  propelling  the  shrapnel  shell  from  the  bore  of 
the  quick-firing  gun  is  drawn  up  from  a  blank  of  sheet 
brass.  The  number  of  operations  necessary  to  complete  the 
case  depends  on  its  size  and  the  method  of  handling.  Some 
shell  manufacturers  prefer  to  do  more  or  less  drawing  at 
one  operation,  but  in  all  cases  the  sequence  of  operations 
is  practically  the  same.  The  material  used  for  shrapnel 
cartridge  cases  generally  consists  of  a  composition  of  2 
parts  copper  and  1  part  zinc.  This  alloy  has  been  found  to 
possess  the  best  physical  qualities,  that  is,  great  tensile 
strength  and  a  high  percentage  of  elongation  when  properly 
annealed.  The  drawing  operations  through  which  the  cart- 
ridge case  passes  increase  the  hardness,  and  the  ductility  of 
the  metal  is  restored  by  annealing.  The  annealing  temper- 
ature in  most  cases  is  from  1150  to  1200  degrees  F.  On 
reaching  this  temperature,  the  work  is  either  cooled  off  in 
water  or  allowed  to  cool  off  gradually,  as  the  speed  of  cool- 
ing does  not  affect  its  physical  qualities.  In  the  following, 
two  methods  of  handling  the  various  operations  will  be  de- 
scribed. 

Method  of  Making  Cartridge  Cases.  —  Figs.  1  and  2 
show  the  sequence  of  operations — blanking,  cupping,  re- 
drawing, indenting,  trimming,  heading,  and  tapering,  as 
advocated  by  the  Waterbury  Farrel  Foundry  &  Machine 
Co.,  Waterbury,  Conn.,  for  making  cartridge  cases  for  18- 
pound  shrapnel.  The  first  operation  consists  in  cutting  out 
a  blank  from  %-inch  sheet  brass  6%  inches  in  diameter. 
The  next  operation  is  cupping.  This  is  handled  in  a  short- 
stroke  geared  straight-sided  press.  Before  re-drawing,  the 
cup  is  annealed,  and  the  third  operation,  which  is  handled 
in  a  longer  stroke  press,  is  then  performed.  Annealing  fol- 
lows this  operation,  and  then  the  fourth  drawing  or  second 
re-drawing  operation  is  performed.  This  consists  in  re- 

172 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


173 


Mr * 


20  OPERATION-CUP 


k 1J411 ^ 

3o  OPERATION— 1sT  DRAW 


4TH  OPERATION-20  DRAW 


STH  OPERATION- 1iT  INDENTING 


4"       -+-K' 

% 


6TH  OPERATION— 2o  INDENTING 


&' 


H 4- >i 

7TH  OPERATION-3D  DRAW 


Mv*"4 
k= y^. 51 

I  I 

STH  OPERATION— 4TH  DRAW 


10TH  OPERATION 

CUT  Off  ENO 
DF  CASE 


&TM  OPERATION-DTH  DRAW 


Fig.    1.     Operations    in    making    an    "18-pound' 
Cartridge    Case 


174  CARTRIDGE  CASES 

ducing  the  fillets  slightly  at  the  corners,  decreasing  the 
diameter  of  the  cup  to  4%  inches  and  increasing  its  length 
to  4%  inches.  The  dimensions  given  here  are  approximate. 

Indenting  Operations. --The  fifth  operation  or  first  in- 
denting operation,  which  consists  in  indenting  the  bottom, 
is  handled  in  a  press  similar  to  that  used  for  the  cupping 
and  re-drawing  operations.  This  shortens  the  length  of 
the  case  by  %  inch  and  forces  the  indentation  about  half 
way  through  the  thickness  of  the  stock.  The  second  in- 
denting is  then  accomplished.  This  again  shortens  the 
case  by  an  additional  14  inch  and  squares  up  the  corners. 
The  case,  without  annealing,  is  now  passed  through  the 
third  re-drawing,  or  seventh,  operation,  reducing  its  diame- 
ter to  4  inches  and  increasing  its  length  to  5i/2  inches.  It 
is  annealed  after  this  operation,  and  is  then  drawn  to  a 
shape  8  inches  in  length  by  3%  inches  in  diameter,  and  the 
wall  decreased  in  thickness  to  1/16  inch.  The  case  is  then 
annealed  and  passes  through  the  fifth  re-drawing  operation. 
The  machine  used  for  handling  the  third,  fourth  and  fifth 
re-draws  is  a  long-stroke  straight-sided  rack-and-pinion 
press.  After  the  fifth  re-drawing,  or  ninth,  operation,  the 
case  is  trimmed  and  about  two  inches  cut  off  the  end.  This 
leaves  the  case  in  better  condition  for  the  succeeding  oper- 
ations. The  trimming  machine  is  of  the  horizontal  type. 

Final  Re-drawing  Operations. — The  sixth  re-drawing, 
or  eleventh,  operation  is  performed  in  a  horizontal  drawing 
press  of  the  hydraulic  type  provided  with  automatic  revers- 
ing valves.  This  operation  increases  the  length  of  the  case 
to  13*4  inches  and  reduces  its  diameter  to  33/4  inches. 
After  this  operation,  the  case  is  annealed  and  then  1%  inch 
is  trimmed  off  the  open  end.  The  thirteenth  and  fourteenth 
operations  consist  in  heading  the  case.  These  are  practi- 
cally of  the  same  nature,  and  combine  to  form  the  head  of 
the  case  as  shown  in  the  illustration.  The  heading  opera- 
tions each  reduce  the  length  of  the  case  1/4  inch,  and  are 
performed  in  a  1000-ton  hydraulic  heading  press  operated 
by  a  geared  compound  power  pump  and  having  a  working 
pressure  of  5600  pounds  per  square  inch  on  the  ram.  After 
heading,  the  case  is  annealed  and  the  fifteenth  operation, 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


175 


,12rn  OPERATION 

TRIM  CASE 
12-INCH  LONO 


T 


k %- ?! 

11TH  OPERATION-6TH  DRAW 


—    -Jt—  IR-ru     ODCDATI/Mu 1  **     TAO 


M  OPERATION-18T  TAPERING 


17TH  OPERATION 

T«IM  OFF  V4" 


,13TH    AND 

UTH  OPERATIONS- HEADING        16TH  OPERATlON-2o  TAPERING 


Fig.    2.     Operations    in    making    an    "18-pound' 
Cartridge  Case 


176  CARTRIDGE  CASES 

which  consists  of  tapering,  is  performed.  The  first  taper- 
ing, or  fifteenth,  operation  reduces  the  mouth  of  the  case 
to  3  9/16  inches  in  diameter  and  gradually  tapers  it  for  a 
distance  of  5%  inches — half  the  length.  The  case  is  then 
annealed,  pickled  and  washed,  and  a  second  tapering  opera- 
tion is  performed.  This  reduces  the  mouth  of  the  case  to 
3%  inches  and  tapers  it  completely  to  the  head.  The  case 
is  not  annealed  after  the  last  tapering  operation,  but  1/4 
inch  is  trimmed  off  the  end. 

The  various  operations  through  which  a  cartridge  case 
passes  in  drawing  and  forming  to  the  correct  length  having 
been  described,  attention  will  now  be  given  to  the  type  of 
tools  used  for  this  purpose.  These  tools  have  been  designed 
and  built  by  the  Ferracute  Machine  Co.,  Bridgeton,  N.  J., 
and  are  used  with  its  presses  for  making  cases  for  3-inch 
projectiles. 

Cupping  and  First  Series  of  Re-drawing  Tools.  —  The 
cutting  out  of  the  blank  is  frequently  omitted  because  the 
specified  thickness  and  size  can  be  furnished  by  the  mill. 
Before  cupping,  the  dies  and  blanks  are  well  greased,  as  this 
assists  in  drawing.  Olive  oil  or  soapy  water  is  used,  de- 
pending on  the  stage  at  which  the  drawing  operations  have 
arrived.  The  first  cupping  operation  is  accomplished  with 
a  punch  and  die  as  shown  at  A  in  Fig.  3.  This  operation 
is  accomplished  in  a  Ferracute  100-ton  ram  press  equipped 
with  a  dial  feed.  The  die  consists  of  a  hardened  ring  of 
tempered  steel  having  an  interior  shape  similar  to  a  trun- 
cated cone.  The  punch  is  slightly  tapered  on  the  lower  end 
and  has  an  air  vent  hole  drilled  up  through  it  to  facilitate 
the  drawing  and  produce  a  cup  free  from  wrinkles. 

The  second  operation,  or  first  re-drawing  operation,  is 
shown  at  B.  Here  the  type  of  die  used  differs  somewhat 
from  that  shown  at  A,  in  that  the  drawing  angle  is  15  in- 
stead of  45  degrees.  The  cup,  after  this  operation,  is  re- 
duced in  diameter  to  3.877  inches  and  is  2%  inches  long. 
After  the  first  cupping  operation,  the  case  is  annealed. 

The  second  re-drawing  operation  is  accomplished  as  shown 
at  C.  The  die  in  this  case  is  the  same  as  at  B,  as  is  also 
the  punch,  except  for  an  increase  in  the  taper  and  change 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


177 


I_«OL  |  CO  _oj'  «0 

!  OT.'T  '~5 


5TH  DRAW— HORIZONTAL  SCREW  PRESS 


Machinery 


Fig.  3.     Tools  for  drawing  a  3-inch  Shrapnel   Cartridge  Case — 
Ferracute  Machine  Co.'s  Method 

in  shape  on  the  end.  The  object  of  this,  of  course,  is  to 
keep  the  case  thick  at  the  head  but  reduce  the  walls  further 
up  along  the  section.  The  case,  after  this  operation,  is  also 
drawn  out  to  a  length  sufficient  to  necessitate  using  a  strip- 


178  CARTRIDGE  CASES 

ping  device  for  removing  it  from  the  punch.  This  is  accom- 
plished by  six  spring-operated  stripper  pins  as  shown,  which 
slip  over  the  top  edge  of  the  case  as  it  is  forced  through  the 
die,  stripping  it  from  the  punch.  The  cup  now  passes 
through  the  third  annealing  operation  and  is  ready  for  the 
third  re-draw,  shown  at  D.  The  press  used  for  performing 
this  operation  is  similar  to  that  described,  and  the  die  and 
punch  is  similar  in  construction  to  that  shown  at  C. 

Final  Re-drawing  Operations.  —  For  the  final  re-drawing 
operations,  horizontal  double-ended  screw  presses  instead  of 
the  horizontal  hydraulic  presses  formerly  used  are  em- 
ployed. Horizontal  presses  are  used  because  the  length  to 
which  the  cartridge  case  is  drawn  after  the  third  re-draw 
is  such  that  it  exceeds  the  stroke  of  the  vertical  presses. 
The  cartridge  case,  after  each  drawing  operation,  is  an- 
nealed; E  in  Fig.  3  shows  the  fourth  re-drawing  tools, 
which  are  handled  in  a  horizontal  screw  press.  The  die 
used  is  similar  in  shape  to  that  shown  at  D,  but  the  holder 
in  which  it  is  held  differs,  of  course,  owing  to  the  difference 
in  the  type  of  press  used.  The  stripping  arrangement  for 
removing  the  case  from  the  punch  is  also  of  a  different  type. 
In  this  case  five  spring-operated  stripper  pins  are  held  in  a 
holder  which  is  free  to  oscillate  within  certain  limits  in 
the  block  in  which  it  is  retained.  The  reason  for  having 
this  oscillating  stripper  is  that  it  accommodates  itself  to  the 
irregular  shape  on  the  end  of  the  case  and  gives  practically 
a  constant  pressure  all  around  the  circumference  of  the 
case,  assisting  in  removing  it  from  the  punch.  The  case 
is  now  annealed  and  is  finish-drawn  as  shown  at  F.  Here 
the  same  type  of  die,  stripper  arrangement,  etc.,  is  used  as 
that  shown  at  E.  The  case  in  the  fifth  re-drawing  opera- 
tion is  14%  inches  long  by  3.186  inches  outside  diameter. 

Annealing  and  Washing  Cartridge  Cases. — As  was  pre- 
viously stated,  the  cartridge  case,  after  practically  every 
re-drawing  operation,  is  annealed,  being  subjected  to  a  tem- 
perature of  about  1150  to  1200  degrees  F.  and  then  allowed 
to  cool  off  or  dipped  in  water  which,  of  course,  forms  a  scale 
on  the  surface  of  the  case.  This  must  be  removed  before 
any  subsequent  operations  can  take  place.  Several  differ- 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


179 


ent  solutions  are  used  for  this  purpose,  but  a  common  one 
comprises  the  following :  Sulphuric  acid  diluted  with  water 
to  a  strength  of  1  to  4.  This  pickling  solution  is  held  in 
lead-lined  wooden  troughs  and  the  case  is  allowed  to  remain 
in  the  bath  varying  from  eight  to  fifteen  minutes,  accord- 
ing to  the  strength  of  the  solution.  The  cases  are  then 
washed  in  lead-lined  wooden  troughs  through  which  a  stream 
of  water  is  circulated  to  remove  all  traces  of  the  acid. 

Testing  Hardness  of  Cartridge  Cases.  —  The  hardness  of 
a  cartridge  case  must  conform  to  a  certain  standard.  When 
too  soft,  a  permanent  set  will  occur  from  the  pressure  of 


Machinery 


Fig.   4.     Fixture  for  testing    Hardness  of  Cartridge   Cases  with 
Shore  Scleroscope 

the  firing  charge  and  the  case  will  stick  in  the  breech  of 
the  gun.  When  the  hardness  is  too  high  for  a  given  com- 
position of  brass,  it  is  too  brittle  and  will  split,  or  the 
head  may  blow  off.  There  is,  therefore,  a  certain  hardness 
which  must  be  adhered  to  as  closely  as  possible.  Some 
manufacturers  hold  the  standard  to  within  20  to  25  on  the 
body  walls  and  reject  cases  striking  15  as  being  too  soft, 
and  30  to  35  as  being  too  hard. 

Owing  to  the  thinness  of  the  walls  of  the  case,  it  is  im- 
possible to  take  a  reading  without  rigidly  supporting  it, 
and  for  this  purpose  the  Shore  Instrument  &  Mfg.  Co., 


180 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


551-557  West  22nd  St.,  New  York  City,  has  devised  a  spe- 
cial fixture  as  indicated  in  Fig.  4.  This  comprises  a  bracket 
A  held  in  an  ordinary  vise,  to  which  is  fastened  an  anvil 
plug  B,  as  indicated.  In  order  to  hold  the  case  tightly 
against  the  anvil  plug,  a  spring  C,  fastened  to  the  bracket  A, 
is  also  fastened  to  a  yoke  D  surrounding  the  case.  A  rod 
attached  to  the  yoke  and  to  a  foot  treadle  furnishes  a  means 
of  drawing  the  yoke  down  to  hold  the  case  in  contact  with 
the  plug.  The  anvil  plug  provides  the  weight  or  inertia  to 


Fig.   5.     Special   Shrapnel    Case   Trimming,    Facing,   and 
Chamfering    Machine 

resist  the  impact  of  the  drop-hammer  of  the  scleroscope, 
but  in  order  to  be  sure  that  there  is  proper  contact  of  the 
case  with  the  plug  a  rubber  cushion  E  is  provided  between 
the  pressure  ring  or  yoke  and  the  brass  case. 

Machining  Shrapnel  Cartridge  Cases.  —  The  Bullard  Ma- 
chine Tool  Co.,  Bridgeport,  Conn.,  has  designed  and  built 
a  number  of  special  machines  for  performing  the  machin- 
ing work  on  the  head  and  mouth  ends  of  brass  cartridge 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


181 


6TH  OPERATION 


Machinery 


Fig.  6.     Sequence  of  Operations  performed   on   Cartridge   Case   in 
Machine    shown    in    Fig.    5 

cases.  This  machine,  as  will  be  seen  from  Fig.  5,  is  of  the 
hand  turret  machine  type,  designed  to  work  on  the  case 
from  both  ends.  In  this  machine  the  brass  case  is  chucked 
in  the  center  of  an  extremely  large  spindle,  and  worked 
on  from  the  head  end  with  four  sets  of  turret  tools  and  two 
sets  of  cross-slide  tools,  while  the  mouth  end  is  bored  and 


182  CARTRIDGE  CASES 

trimmed  with  tools  held  on  a  carriage  located  on  the  back 
facing  bar.  The  drive  for  the  work  chuck  spindle  is  over 
a  16-inch  pulley  with  a  3-inch  belt.  The  pull  of  the  belt  is 
not  taken  directly  on  the  spindle,  but  on  a  special  pulley 
bearing  7%  inches  in  diameter  and  5  inches  in  width.  The 
spindle  itself  is  supported  in  bearings  9  inches  in  length 
and  5%  inches  in  diameter.  As  previously  mentioned,  the 
spindle  is  hollow  so  that  any  type  of  shrapnel  cartridge  case 
up  to  414  inches  in  diameter  and  from  10  to  18  inches  in 
length  can  be  machined. 


Fig.   7.     Set-up   showing    First   Operation    on    Cartridge 
Case    Head 

From  the  construction  of  the  machine  in  Fig.  5  it  will 
be  seen  that  the  front  end  of  the  spindle  carries  a  large 
three-jaw  chuck  of  special  design.  These  jaws  catch  the 
cartridge  case  just  under  the  head  and  revolve  it  for  ma- 
chining. The  case  is  supported  internally  by  a  tubular 
arbor  which  also  acts  as  a  stop  and  is  attached  to  a  rod 
extending  to  the  rear  bracket  where  it  is  backed  up  by  a 
spring.  The  front  end  of  this  tubular  support  or  stop 
is  provided  with  a  thrust  ball  bearing  so  that  the  case  can 
be  loaded  in  the  chuck  while  the  spindle  is  running.  When 
the  chuck  operating  lever  is  manipulated  to  close  the  chuck 
jaws  on  the  work,  it  first  draws  back  the  rod  mentioned 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


183 


through  the  medium  of  a  tie-rod  and  the  rear  bracket  to  a 
positive  stop,  and  then  closes  the  jaws  on  the  work.  The 
cartridge  case  is  put  in  and  removed  from  the  chuck  with 


Fig. 


Set-up  showing   Fourth   Operation   on   Cartridge 
Case    Head 


Fig.  9.     Set-up  showing   Operations  on    Mouth    End   of  Case 

the  turret  indexed  between  stations  to  give  the  required 
space. 

The  back  boring  and  trimming  head  is  held  on  a  hollow 
spindle  through  the  center  of  which  the  rod  passes.     This 


184 


CARTRIDGE   CASES 


spindle  is  provided  with  rack  teeth  on  its  top  surface 
which  engage  with  a  pinion  located  in  the  extension  bracket 
and  operated  by  a  handle.  The  forward  position  of  the 
boring  and  trimming  head  is  governed  by  a  stop-collar. 


Fig.  10.     Set-up  showing  Sixth  Operation  on   Head   End  of  Case 


Fig.    11.     Set-up    showing    Seventh    Operation    on    Head 
End   of   Case 

Sequence  of  Machining    Operations   on   Cartridge   Case. 
-The  sequence  of  machining  operations  performed  on  the 


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186 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


The  following  operations  are  now  performed  on  the  mouth 
or  open  end  of  the  cartridge  case  as  shown  in  Figs.  6  and  9, 
with  the  spindle  running  at  the  same  speed — 500  R.  P.  M.— 
as  that  used  for  the  first  series  of  operations.  Two  tools 
H  and  /  are  used.  Tool  H  bores  the  mouth  of  the  case  for 
a  distance  of  1  inch,  whereas  tool  /  trims  off  the  open  end 
of  the  case  and  rounds  the  edges.  The  mouth  of  the  case 
at  the  rear  end  of  the  spindle  is  supported  by  a  hardened 


4TH  OPERATION 


FRONT  CROSS-SLIDE  BLOCK 


2ND  OPERATION 


Machinery 


Fig.   13.     Diagram   illustrating   Machining  Operations  on   French 
Cartridge   Case   on    Potter   &   Johnston    Machine 

bushing  to  prevent  it  springing  away  from  the  action  of 
the  boring  tool.  The  boring  and  trimming  tools  are 
mounted  in  a  special  head  J,  Fig.  9,  that  is  operated  back 
and  forth  by  a  handle  K  through  the  medium  of  a  rack 
and  pinion.  The  forward  movement  of  this  head,  as 
previously  explained,  is  controlled  by  means  of  an  adjusta- 
ble collar  L  screwed  onto  spindle  M. 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


187 


The  work-spindle  is  now  slowed  down  and  the  following 
operations,  shown  in  Figs.  6,  10,  and  11,  are  performed  on 
the  head  end  of  the  case.  The  sixth  operation  is  to  finish- 
counterbore  and  ream  the  primer  pocket  with  tool  O  held 


FIRST 
OPERATION 


THIRD 
OPERATION 

RECESSING  TOOL 


SIDE 
ELEVATION 


CAM  ON  CROSS-SLIDE 
"""  FOR  OPERATING 
VERTICAL  SLIDE  TOOL 


Fig.    14. 


Tooling    Set-up    for    Machining    18-pound 
Cartridge   Case 


in  an  adjustable  holder,  whereas  the  seventh  operation  is 
threading  the  primer  pocket  with  collapsible  tap  P.  The 
chuck  lever  in  Fig.  5  is  now  manipulated,  first,  releasing 
the  grip  of  the  chuck  jaws  on  the  case  and,  second,  advanc- 


188 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


ing  the  rod  to  eject  the  case  sufficiently  to  enable  it  to  be 
easily  removed  from  the  chuck.  The  spindle  is  changed 
to  the  highest  speed  after  the  next  case  is  put  in.  In 
changing  the  work,  it  is  not  necessary  to  stop  the  spindle. 
Machining  Shrapnel  Cartridge  Cases  on  Potter  &  Johnston 
Automatics.  —  The  cartridge  case  is  made  from  sheet  brass 
as  previously  stated.  It  is  practically  formed  to  shape  in 
drawing  and  heading  machines,  but  to  secure  the  desired 
accuracy  on  the  head  and  primer  pocket  these  surfaces  are 


Fig.  15.     Tool  Set-up  for  Machining  18-pound  Cartridge  Case 

machined.  The  method  of  holding  the  French  75-milli- 
meter case  on  a  No.  5A  Potter  &  Johnston  automatic  chuck- 
ing and  turning  machine  for  machining  the  head  and  primer 
pocket  is  shown  in  Fig.  12.  Here  it  will  be  seen  that  the 
cartridge  case  butts  up  against  a  stop  B  and  fits  over  the 
tapered  plug  C,  which  steadies  it.  It  is  held  in  place  by  an 
ordinary  draw-in  collet  D.  This  is  operated  by  means  of 
a  lever  E,  fulcrumed  to  a  bracket  on  the  rear  end  of  the 
machine  and  operating  a  sliding  clutch  collar.  The  chuck 


CARTRIDGE  CASES  189 

is  operated  through  fingers  which  draw  back  the  sliding 
sleeve  to  which  it  is  attached.  These  fingers  operate 
against  a  spring  at  the  rear  of  the  spindle  which  serve  to 
open  the  collet. 

The  machining  operations  on  the  French  shrapnel  cart- 
ridge case  are  handled  in  the  manner  illustrated  in  Fig.  13. 
The  first  operation  is  to  rough-drill  the  hole  in  the  head. 
The  turret  is  then  indexed,  bringing  in  a  roughing  reamer 
which  reams  the  hole  previously  drilled,  whereas  the  front 
cross-slide  carries  tool  B  that  faces  the  head  and  a  circular 
tool  C  that  rough-forms  the  external  diameters  of  the  head. 

Upon  the  next  indexing  of  the  turret,  the  tool  D  counter- 
bores  the  powder  pocket  and  the  circular  forming  tool  E 
finish-forms  and  rough-chamfers  the  head.  The  last  oper- 
ation consists  in  finishing  the  primer  pocket  with  a  taper 
reamer  F. 

Machining  the  British  Shrapnel  Cartridge  Case.  —  The 
brass  cartridge  case  for  the  British  shrapnel  is  more 
difficult  to  machine  than  the  French  case,  as  refer- 
ence to  Figs.  14  and  15  will  clearly  show.  The  machining 
operations  are  accomplished  on  a  No.  5A  Potter  &  Johnston 
automatic  chucking  and  turning  machine  having  a  five- 
sided  turret.  The  first  operation  is  to  drill  the  primer 
pocket  hole  with  a  three-step  drill  A.  The  turret  is  now 
indexed  and  the  surfaces  previously  roughed  out  are  fin- 
ished with  inserted-blade  counterbore  B.  At  the  same  time, 
the  head  of  the  case  is  faced  with  a  relieving  tool  C  held  on 
the  cross-slide  and  rough-formed  with  circular  tool  D. 

The  turret,  in  being  indexed  to  the  third  position,  brings 
vertical  recessing  tool  E  into  operation.  This  carries  two 
cutters,  one  of  which  recesses  the  primer  pocket  at  the 
point  where  the  thread  is  to  terminate,  whereas  the  other 
removes  the  burr  and  faces  the  inner  boss.  In  the  fourth 
operation,  the  smallest  diameter  of  the  primer  pocket  is 
reamed  and  the  largest  diameter  of  the  hole  chamfered  by 
tools  held  in  bar  F.  The  rear  cross-slide  is  advanced  at 
the  same  time,  carrying  the  circular  tool  G  that  finish-forms 
the  head.  The  final  operation — threading — is  performed 
with  the  "Geometric"  collapsible  tap  H. 


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192  CARTRIDGE  CASES 

Summary  of  Operations  on  Cartridge  Cases.  —  The  ac- 
companying table  gives  a  summary  of  the  cupping,  drawing, 
annealing,  indenting,  trimming,  heading  and  machining  op- 
erations on  a  British  18-pound  cartridge  case  of  a  compo- 
sition of  70  parts  electrolytic  copper  and  30  parts  Bertha 
spelter.  In  the  plant  where  this  information  was  obtained, 
the  cupping,  indenting,  and  first,  second,  third,  and  fourth 
redrawing  operations  are  accomplished  on  bulldozers,  while 
the  fifth  and  sixth  redrawing  operations  are  accomplished 
on  a  frog  and  switch  planer  from  which  the  cross-head  has 
been  removed  and  a  special  fixture  substituted  in  its  place. 
The  punch  is  held  rigidly  in  this  fixture  and  the  die  on  an- 
other fixture  clamped  to  the  table  of  the  planer.  Practi- 
cally the  same  condition  prevails  on  bulldozers.  Here  the 
punch  is  held  rigidly,  whereas  the  die  is  held  in  the  travel- 
ing slide.  As  a  lubricant  for  drawing  a  compound  known 
as  "viscosity,"  manufactured  by  the  Cataract  Refining  Co., 
is  used  throughout,  except  on  the  fourth  and  fifth  redrawing 
operations,  where  ordinary  commercial  vaseline  has  been 
found  to  give  the  best  results. 

The  annealing  is  done  in  a  Quigley  oil  furnace,  which 
is  kept  at  a  constant  temperature  of  between  1100  and  1140 
degrees  F.  The  cups  are  handled  in  sheet  iron  boxes  with 
wire  bottoms  carrying  140  cups.  This  furnace  holds  seven 
of  these  boxes ;  it  requires  35  minutes  for  one  lot  of  cups  to 
pass  completely  through  the  furnace.  In  other  words,  a 
box  is  put  in  and  taken  out  every  five  minutes,  thus  giving 
an  annealing  time  of  thirty-five  minutes  on  each  batch. 
After  dipping  in  water,  the  cups  are  immersed  in  a  weak 
solution  of  sulphuric  acid  to  remove  all  scale. 

Scleroscope  readings  are  taken  before  and  after  each 
drawing  operation,  so  as  to  ascertain  whether  the  metal  is 
being  properly  annealed  or  not.  The  blank  also  is  tested 
with  a  sclerescope  before  any  work  is  done  on  it,  and  should 
'strike  15.  The  head  of  the  shell  must  strike  between  40 
and  50,  being  softer  at  the  center  than  at  the  rim.  The 
readings  are  taken  on  four  radii  on  the  head,  and  at  inter- 
vals of  Vs  to  3/16  inch  apart.  In  heading,  considerable  dif- 
ficulty was  at  first  experienced  in  securing  the  correct  scle- 


CARTRIDGE  CASES  193 

roscope  readings.  Instead  of  the  head  being  harder  at  the 
rim  than  at  the  center,  the  reverse  was  the  case.  It  was 
found  that  the  metal  in  flowing  towards  the  center  packed 
up  to  such  an  extent  that  the  case  was  made  considerably 
harder  at  this  point.  A  method  which  overcame  this  diffi- 
culty consisted  in  drilling  a  %-inch  hole  down  through  the 
primer  pocket  previous  to  the  heading  operation.  This  al- 
lowed the  metal  to  flow  towards  the  center  of  the  head  with 
comparatively  little  resistance,  and  hence  the  correct  hard- 
ness was  obtained  at  the  rim,  as  well  as  in  the  center  of 
the  head.  The  machining  of  the  head  and  mouth  is  accom- 
plished in  Bullard  special  cartridge  case  trimming  machines 
of  the  double-ended  type,  that  is,  one  set  of  tools  are  located 
in  one  end  for  machining  the  mouth  and  another  set  of  tools 
held  in  the  turret  and  on  the  cross-slide  for  machining  the 
head  and  primer  pocket.  Following  this,  hand-reaming  and 
hand-tapping  operations  are  accomplished  so  as  to  get  the 
desired  accuracy  and  fit  in  the  primer  pocket.  Inspecting 
and  stamping  operations  finish  the  principal  operations  on 
the  cartridge  case. 


CHAPTER    VII 

SPECIFICATIONS  FOR  THE  MANUFACTURE  AND 

INSPECTION   OF  THE   RUSSIAN 

3-INCH    SHRAPNEL   SHELL 

The  following  specifications  relating  to  the  3-inch  Russian 
shrapnel  shell  are  abstracted  from  the  official  specifications, 
and  contain  all  the  essential  points  required  to  be  known  by 
the  manufacturer  or  the  inspector  of  shrapnel  shells.  The 
specifications  deal  in  detail  with  what  is  known  as  the  "test 
consignment"  of  shells,  the  "proof  consignment"  of  shells, 
and  the  methods  of  inspecting. 

Clause  1 .  General  Conditions.  —  The  shrapnel  shell  con- 
sists of  the  following  parts :  steel  body  with  copper  driving 
band,  steel  diaphragm,  steel  fuse  tube,  steel  fuse  base,  brass 
socket  nut,  bullets,  two  steel  fixing  screws,  two  steel  threaded 
plugs,  and  a  zinc  plug.  The  selection  of  the  material  to  be 
used  for  the  shell  and  the  parts  is  left  to  the  discretion  of 
the  manufacturer,  but  on  the  condition  that  it  meets  the 
requirements  given  in  the  following  specifications.  Before 
beginning  the  manufacture  of  an  order,  the  manufacturer 
must  submit  a  test  consignment  of  shells. 

Clause  2.  Test  Consignment  of  Shells.  —  The  selection 
of  shells  for  the  test  consignment  is  left  to  the  discretion  of 
the  manufacturer.  The  trials  of  the  test  consignment  are 
carried  out  in  the  presence  of  the  inspector  appointed  by 
the  government  for  which  the  shells  are  made,  and  of  the 
representative  of  the  firm  whose  shells  are  tested.  The 
methods  of  manufacture  of  the  test  consignment  of  shells 
must  be  known  to  the  inspector  and  must  be  done  in  accord- 
ance with  the  requirements  in  the  following  specifications. 
All  shells  forming  the  test  consignment  must  be  similar  in 
material  and  made  by  the  same  methods  of  manufacture. 

The  submission  of  the  test  consignment  is  not  required 
for  those  firms  who  have  already  submitted  one,  and  after 
the  completion  of  an  order  have  received  a  new  order  for 
the  same  shells,  provided  the  mechanical  conditions  for 

194 


RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL  SHELL  195 

manufacturing  the  same  have  not  been  altered.  Firms  are 
allowed  to  begin  the  manufacture  of  the  shells  before  deliv- 
ering the  test  consignment,  but  on  the  condition  that  in  the 
case  of  unsatisfactory  results  of  the  trials  of  the  test  con- 
signment, all  shells  previously  manufactured  by  the  firm 
must  be  rejected. 

The  test  consignment  consists  of  fifty  shrapnels,  out  of 
which  twenty-five  are  tested,  by  firing,  with  a  view  to  as- 
certaining their  accuracy  and  strength,  twenty-two  for 
strength  only,  and  three  shrapnels  are  left  for  mechanical 
tests  by  breaking  the  test  pieces  made  from  them  in  a  test- 
ing machine.  In  the  case  of  the  last  three  shells  it  is  nec- 
essary to  ascertain  before  cutting  the  test  pieces  from  them 
that  the  driving  bands  are  pressed  on  correctly,  by  remov- 
ing them.  In  addition  to  this,  the  strength  of  the  shrapnels 
is  tested  by  exploding  them  in  a  pit.  For  the  pit  test,  those 
shells  are  used  which  are  found  undamaged  after  being  fired. 
For  this  trial,  ten  shrapnels  are  used.  Before  firing  the 
test  consignment  of  shrapnels  and  before  the  pit  test,  the 
mechanical  test  must  be  carried  out,  and  the  two  first  men- 
tioned tests  may  be  carried  out  only  if  the  metal  shows  re- 
sults answering  the  conditions  mentioned  in  Clause  3  of 
these  specifications. 

The  test  consignment  will  be  considered  as  passed  if  the 
following  results  are  obtained : 

1.  If  during  the  mechanical  tests  the  metal  answers  to 
the  conditions  laid  down. 

2.  If  during  firing  no  shell  is  broken  in  the  gun  or  imme- 
diately in  front  of  the  muzzle. 

3.  If  during  firing  no  socket  is  separated  from  the  shell 
in  the  gun  or  immediately  in  front  of  the  muzzle. 

4.  If  on  cylindrical  parts  of  the  bodies  of  shrapnels  re- 
covered after  firing  no  signs  of  the  rifling  are  to  be  found. 
The  slight  impression  from  rifling  on  the  central  portion  of 
the  shell  cannot,  however,  be  taken  as  a  reason  for  the  re- 
jection of  the  shell,  provided  that  it  is  noticed  only  on  one- 
half  of  the  circumference. 

5.  If  shrapnels  recovered  after  firing  do  not  show  any 
dent  in  their  bases  or  shearing  of  the  socket,  or  if  the  in- 


196 


RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL  SHELL 


SMOKE  COMPOSITION 

ASSEMBLY  lti8+".OlJ" 

8.8±  0.04- 4*—iJ8- 


SECTION  THROUGH  B-B  /f 

6  THREADS  PER   INCH  0-1875    DIA.  TAPPED  HOLE,   24  THREADS  PER  INC* 


DIAPHRAGM  — STEEL 


0.375    DIA.  TAPPED  HOLE, 

16  THREADS  PE 
FOR  FILLING  SHELL  WITH  RESIN 
AND  TO  BE  AFTERWARDS  PLUGGED 


5.5695 

CENTRAL  TUBE — STEEL 

24  THREADS  PER   INCH 


j< 0.3r— H 

NG  SCREW  FOR  FUSt  SOCKET—  STEEL 
2  REQUIRED 


FIXING  SCREW  FOR  FUSE  —  STEEL 
1REOU.REO, 


DRIVING  BAND— COPPER 


SCREWED  PLUG — STEE 


Fig.  1.     Russian  3-Inch  Shrapnel  Shell   and  Component   Parts 


RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL  SHELL  197 

crease  in  the  diameter  of  the  cylindrical  part  of  the  body 
does  not  exceed  0.010  inch. 

6.  If  shrapnels  recovered  after  the  firing  do  not  show  in 
more  than  15  per  cent  of  the  cases  the  protrusion  of  the 
upper  end  of  the  central  tube  from  the  countersink  of  the 
brass  socket  nut.     All  these  shrapnels  must  be  dismantled 
for  the  inspection  of  the  central  tubes;  the  central  tubes 
must  not  show  any  considerable  sign  of  buckling,  cracks  or 
protrusion  into  the  powder  chamber. 

7.  (a)     If  during  pit  test,  shrapnels  do  not  show  any 
breaking  away  of  the  bases,  if  their  bodies  be  found  intact, 
and  if  the  same  results  be  found  on  the  shrapnels  picked 
up  after  firing. 

(b)  If  out  of  ten  shrapnels  tested  in  the  pit  not  more 
than  three  show  broken  bodies. 

8.  If  shrapnels  do  not  show  the  separation  of  driving 
bands  from  the  shell,  nor  displacement  of  same,  if  loosely 
fixed,  and  the  accuracy  of  the  firing  in  a  vertical  plane  be 
not  below  the  requirements  given  in  Clause  19.     The  signs 
of  the  rifling  on  the  driving  bands  of  the  recovered  shells 
should  be  correct  and  not  enlarged. 

If  the  results  of  the  trial  of  the  test  consignment  give 
unsatisfactory  results  with  reference  to  any  of  the  above 
seven  first  conditions,  or  to  all  of  them,  the  firm  will  be  al- 
lowed to  submit  a  second  test  consignment.  In  the  case  of 
unsatisfactory  results  of  the  test  consignment  with  reference 
to  the  eighth  condition,  the  firm  has  the  right  to  submit 
additionally  twenty-five  shrapnels  for  accuracy  firing  trials 
only,  but  these  shrapnels  must  also  answer  to  the  other  seven 
conditions.  If  the  trials  of  the  test  consignment  show  satis- 
factory results,  the  firm  may  proceed  with  the  manufacture 
of  shrapnels,  but  under  the  condition  that  the  material  and 
method  of  manufacture  will  be  similar  to  those  used  for  the 
manufacture  of  the  test  consignment. 

In  the  case  of  unsatisfactory  results  of  the  test  of  the 
second  test  consignment,  the  contracting  government  has 
the  right  to  cancel  the  order  with  the  firm  for  delivery  of 
the  shrapnels  in  question.  All  the  test  consignments  of 
shrapnels  must  be  at  the  contracting  firm's  expense. 


198  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL  SHELL 

Clause  3.     Breaking  Tests  of  the  Material  used  for  Bodies. 

—  These  tests  must  be  carried  out  at  the  works  where  shrap- 
nels are  manufactured.  Three  flat  test  pieces  must  be  cut 
from  the  cylindrical  portion  of  the  body  parallel  to  its  axis 
and  immediately  above  the  driving  band.  The  dimensions 
of  test  pieces  are  as  follows :  Width,  0.750  inch ;  thickness, 
0.150  inch;  distance  between  marks,  2  inches.  The  outline 
and  dimension  of  the  ends  must  suit  the  holders  of  the 
testing  machine.  The  metal  of  the  bodies  will  be  consid- 
ered satisfactory  if  it  shows  a  breaking  strength  of  82.7 
kilograms  per  square  millimeter  (52.5  tons  per  square  inch) 
with  a  final  elongation  of  not  less  than  8  per  cent.  In  addi- 
tion to  this,  the  inspector  must  select  two  bodies  from  the 
test  consignment  before  the  beginning  of  final  machining 
for  cutting  from  the  round  test  pieces  with  a  diameter  of  0.3 
inch,  length  2  inches  between  marks,  three  test  pieces  being 
cut  from  each  shell.  The  breaking  test  of  these  test  pieces 
must  be  carried  out  on  the  testing  machine,  and  the  elastic 
limit  of  the  material  must  be  ascertained  on  them. 

Clause  4.  The  Proof  Consignment  of  Shrapnels. — As 
mentioned,  the  shrapnels  under  order  must  be  manufactured 
from  similar  material  and  by  similar  methods  to  the  shrap- 
nels of  the  test  consignment.  The  acceptance  of  shrapnels 
for  the  service,  however,  can  be  effected  only  after  "proof 
tests"  of  the  mechanical  qualities  of  the  metal  used,  of  the 
accuracy  of  firing,  and  of  the  strength  and  proper  assem- 
bling, and  pit  tests. 

The  whole  order  is  sub-divided  into  consignments  of  5000 
shrapnels  each.  The  method  of  manufacture  of  the  shrap- 
nels must  be  entirely  the  same  for  the  whole  consignment. 

In  the  case  of  the  order  being  placed  for  a  number  of 
shrapnel  less  than  5000,  the  whole  order  will  be  treated  as 
one  proof  consignment ;  in  the  case  of  the  order  being  placed 
for  a  larger  number  of  shrapnels,  the  remainder  from  a  full 
proof  consignment  must  be  treated  as  a  part  of  the  previous 
consignment,  when  it  is  less  than  half  of  the  proof  consign- 
ment, and  must  form  a  separate  proof  consignment  when 
it  is  more  than  half  of  same. 


RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL  SHELL  199 

The  choice  of  shrapnels  for  proof  must  be  made  by  the 
inspector  personally  from  the  proof  consignment  submitted 
by  the  firm.  The  choice  must  be  made  after  final  inspection 
of  the  whole  consignment.  The  works  have  the  right  to 
challenge  the  shrapnels  chosen  by  the  inspector  for  the 
proof,  having  the  right  to  do  it  only  twice.  The  shrapnels 
challenged  in  that  manner  must  be  destroyed,  so  as  to  pre- 
vent any  further  submission  of  same  for  proof.  The  shrap- 
nels challenged  must  be  replaced  by  the  firm. 

For  the  mechanical  tests  of  the  metal,  it  is  recommended 
to  select  bodies  which  were  rejected  on  account  of  their 
dimensions,  but  in  the  case  of  the  absence  of  any  bodies  re- 
jected for  the  dimensions,  the  works  must  provide  good 
bodies  selected  by  the  inspector.  Not  less  than  ten  bodies 
must  be  chosen  from  the  proof  consignment.  The  rules 
and  requirements  for  the  metal  used  for  the  shrapnel  bodies 
were  given  in  Clause  3. 

In  the  case  of  satisfactory  results  of  these  mechanical 
tests,  the  firm  must  submit  from  each  proof  consignment 
fifty  shrapnels  for  the  firing  trials  for  their  strength.  After 
firing  trials,  the  pit  tests  must  be  carried  out,  for  which 
proof  recovered  shrapnels  which  do  not  show  any  damage 
after  firing  will  be  used.  Ten  shrapnels  must  be  used  for 
pit  tests. 

All  proof  tests  must  be  carried  out  in  the  presence  of  the 
inspector  sent  for  this  purpose  to  the  works,  and  the  me- 
chanical tests  of  the  metal  must  be  carried  out  by  the  in- 
spector himself.  The  projectiles  used  for  the  proof  firing 
must  not  be  painted  but  only  covered  with  machine  oil. 

The  consignment  will  be  accepted  if  the  mechanical  or 
firing  proof  tests  fulfill  the  same  requirements  as  have  been 
laid  down  in  Clause  2,  Conditions  1  to  8,  with  the  excep- 
tion that  in  Condition  6,  in  the  case  of  the  proof  test,  20 
per  cent,  instead  of  15  per  cent,  as  in  the  case  of  the  con- 
signment test,  may  show  protrusion  of  the  upper  end  of  the 
central  tube  from  the  countersink  of  the  brass  socket  nut. 

If,  during  firing,  breakages  of  the  shrapnels  in  the  gun  or 
immediately  in  front  of  the  muzzle  should  occur,  the  whole 
consignment  must  be  rejected. 


200  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL  SHELL 

In  the  case  of  unsatisfactory  results  with  reference  to 
trials  mentioned  in  Clause  2,  Conditions  3,  4,  5,  and  6 
(which  must  not  be  more  than  one  shell  with  reference  to 
Conditions  3,  4,  and  5),  the  firm  has  the  right  to  submit 
100  additional  shrapnels  chosen  by  the  inspector  for  the 
firing  for  recovery  proof.  If  during  pit  tests  more  than 
three  shrapnel  bodies  are  broken,  an  additional  five  shrap- 
nels must  be  subjected  to  the  same  test,  but  for  the  accept- 
ance of  the  consignment  it  is  required  that,  in  total,  no 
more  than  five  broken  shrapnel  bodies  occur. 

With  reference  to  damaged  or  displaced  driving  bands, 
or  the  impression  of  the  rifling  on  them  not  being  clear,  or 
being  enlarged,  it  is  left  to  the  discretion  of  the  contracting 
government  to  demand  the  changing  of  the  driving  bands 
on  the  whole  consignment,  after  which  rebanding  they  must 
be  submitted  for  second  proof,  twenty-five  shrapnels  being 
tested  for  accuracy :  these  shrapnels  must  be  chosen  by  the 
inspector  after  reviewing  the  whole  consignment.  If  dur- 
ing the  secondary  firing  trials  which  take  place  on  account 
of  failures  with  reference  to  any  one  of  the  above-mentioned 
reasons,  further  failures  to  the  same  effect  take  place,  the 
question  of  the  acceptance  of  the  whole  consignment  must 
be  referred  to  the  respective  military  administration. 

In  the  case  of  the  failures  of  both  trials,  first  and  sec- 
ondary, the  permission  for  the  further  manufacture  of  pro- 
jectiles by  the  firm  in  question  will  be  left  to  the  discretion 
of  the  respective  military  authorities. 

In  the  case  of  the  acceptance  of  the  consignment  after  the 
proof,  the  shrapnels  used  for  the  proof  in  question,  fifty 
in  number,  must  be  taken  from  the  order.  Any  other 
shrapnels,  used  for  proof  in  addition  to  the  above-mentioned 
number,  must  be  at  the  expense  of  the  manufacturer. 

Clause  5.  The  Rights  and  Duties  of  the  Government 
Inspector.  —  The  inspector's  duty  consists  not  only  in  the 
acceptance  of  the  manufactured  shrapnels,  but  also  in  look- 
ing after  the  methods,  etc.,  used  in  the  manufacture.  In 
order  to  do  this,  the  inspector  must  be  given  the  right  of 
access  to  any  work  and  test  referring  to  the  shrapnel 
manufacture. 


RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL  SHELL  201 

The  inspector  has  the  right  to  inform  the  manager  of 
the  works  of  all  defects  noticed  by  him  in  manufacture  of 
the  shrapnels,  as  well  as  of  those  which  occur  in  the  shrap- 
nels submitted  for  acceptance,  and  he  has  the  right  to  sug- 
gest improvements  to  the  manufacturer ;  it  is  left  to  the  dis- 
cretion of  the  manager  of  the  works  to  make  use  of  these 
suggestions,  if  it  is  found  advisable,  but  the  inspector  has 
not  the  right  to  interfere  with  the  orders  issued  in  the 
works. 

Before  submitting  to  the  inspector  the  shrapnels  manu- 
factured the  works  must  pass  them  by  their  own  examin- 
ers ;  these  examiners  must  work  to  the  instructions  given  to 
them  by  the  works,  and  prepared  to  the  inspector's  satis- 
faction. The  inspector  has  to  gage  shrapnels  by  the  gages 
stated  in  the  following  specifications.  He  also  must  check 
them  with  reference  to  their  dimensions,  as  given  on  the 
drawings,  before  beginning  inspection. 

Clause  6.  The  Condition  in  which  Shrapnel  Bodies  are 
Submitted.  —  Steel  shrapnel  bodies  are  submitted  to  the 
first  inspection  without  socket,  driving  band,  and  inner 
parts.  The  outside  cylindrical  portion  of  the  bodies  as  well 
as  the  enlarged  centering  portion  must  be  machined  and  fin- 
ished ;  shrapnel  bodies  must  be  submitted  with  grooves  for 
driving  bands  and  with  other  grooves  in  the  base  of  the  shell. 

The  rounded  portion  of  the  bodies  above  the  enlarged  cen- 
tering portion  must  be  machined  only  preliminarily.  The 
inside  of  the  bodies  must  be  finish-machined,  and  the 
shoulder  for  the  diaphragm  as  well  as  the  cylindrical  por- 
tion of  the  body  against  the  diaphragm  must  be  properly 
finished ;  the  upper  part  of  the  inside  surface  must  be  pro- 
vided with  threads  for  socket.  The  remaining  portion  of 
the  inside  surface  might  be  roughly  machined.  The  base 
of  the  shrapnels  may  be  left  with  a  boss  outside  with  cen- 
ter marked  on  it,  but  the  remaining  portion  of  the  base  must 
be  finish-machined.  This  applies  to  the  first  inspection. 

Clause  7.  The  First  Inspection  of  Shrapnel  Bodies. 
—  The  surface  of  the  enlarged  centering  portion  must  be 
perfectly  smooth  and  the  cylindrical  portion  of  the  bodies 
must  not  show  any  tool-marks,  except  slight  ones.  The 


202  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL  SHELL 

outer  surfaces  of  the  central  portion  and  the  enlarged  cen- 
tering portion  must  be  polished.  Special  care  must  be  taken 
in  polishing  the  enlarged  centering  portion.  The  inside 
surface  of  the  bodies  must  be  clean  and  smooth.  The  outer 
and  inner  surfaces  of  shrapnels  must  not  show  any  cracks, 
fissures,  or  black  lines  (not  even  the  very  slightest  of 
these),  nor  burrs.  The  inner  surface  of  the  bodies  may 
show  separate  dents  due  to  slag,  but  these  dents  must  be 
of  a  very  slight  nature.  The  thread  in  the  upper  end  of  the 
bodies  for  the  socket  must  have  at  least  five  full  turns. 

Clause  8.  The  Checking  of  the  Weight  of  Shrapnel 
Bodies.  —  Out  of  each  one  hundred  bodies  submitted  to  the 
inspector,  at  least  ten  bodies  must  be  weighed.  These 
weights  will  assist  the  inspector  with  reference  to  the  di- 
mensions of  the  bodies,  and  might  draw  his  attention  to  the 
dimensions  of  those  parts  for  measuring  of  which  there 
are  no  gages  provided.  In  addition  to  this,  during  the 
manufacture  of  the  test  consignment,  the  inspector  must 
ascertain  the  mean  weight  of  the  shrapnel  bodies  in  this  con- 
signment, as  well  as  any  possible  variation  in  any  direction. 

Clause  9.  Inspection  and  Test  of  Copper  for  Driving 
Bands.  — Pure  copper  is  used  for  the  driving  bands.  It 
must  be  of  the  best  quality,  and  hard  drawn ;  ordinary  cop- 
per, not  drawn,  must  not  be  used  for  driving  bands.  The 
copper  strips  must  be  cut  into  pieces  of  the  lengths  re- 
quired for  their  placing  on  the  shrapnels.  The  copper 
strips  must  be  submitted  to  the  inspector  for  acceptance 
and  for  the  following  tests: 

1.  The  strips  must  be  bent  double  in  cold  condition  un- 
til the  ends  meet;  when  the  ends  meet,  the  strip  is  ham- 
mered until  both  halves  are  flat ;  if  during  this  test  the  strip 
does  not  show  any  cracks  or  breakages,  the  metal  will  be 
considered  as  accepted. 

2.  The  strip  is  hammered  in  cold  condition  until  its 
thickness  is  reduced  one-half;  after  this  trial  it  must  not 
show  any  fissures  or  cracks. 

Not  more  than  1  per  cent  of  the  strips  submitted  must 
be  subjected  to  the  above  tests-. 


RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL  SHELL  203 

If  it  is  found  that  any  of  the  strips  tested  will  not  stand 
the  tests,  the  whole  consignment  of  strips  is  rejected,  or  is 
returned  to  the  firm  for  reviewing,  so  as  to  give  the  firm 
the  possibility  to  submit  again  that  part  of  the  consignment 
which  might  be  considered  good.  During  secondary  test 
another  1  per  cent  of  strips  will  be  chosen,  and  in  the 
case  of  any  failures  the  whole  consignment  will  be  finally 
rejected. 

In  case  of  satisfactory  results  in  the  tests  mentioned, 
the  inspector  examines  the  copper  strips  so  as  to  ascertain 
that  they  are  of  proper  cross-section;  special  notice  must 
be  taken  with  reference  to  fissures.  Fissures  exceeding  one- 
tenth  of  the  strip  in  length  are  not  allowed.  The  inspector 
must  examine  20  per  cent  of  all  strips,  and,  during  this 
examination,  if  even  one  strip  be  found  with  fissures  longer 
than  mentioned,  the  whole  consignment  of  strips  will  be  re- 
turned to  the  firm  for  reviewing.  If  during  secondary  ex- 
amination the  inspector  finds  even  one  fissure  exceeding  the 
mentioned  length,  the  whole  consignment  of  copper  will  be 
rejected. 

Clause  10.  Fixing  of  Driving  Bands. —  To  prevent  cracks 
in  shrapnel  bodies  during  the  fixing  of  the  driving  bands, 
a  mandrel  must  be  placed  inside  the  bodies,  and  this  man- 
drel must  fit  the  inside  surface  of  the  bodies  tightly.  The 
inspection  of  the  grooves  must  be  carried  out  by  means  of 
the  gages  made  by  the  firm  to  suit  the  inspector's  require- 
ments. To  facilitate  the  fixing  of  the  driving  bands  on  the 
shrapnel  bodies,  the  bottom  of  the  grooves  may  be  provided 
with  waved  ribs.  The  depth  of  these  grooves  must  not 
exceed  0.005  inch.  The  width  of  the  surface  with  the  waved 
ribs  is  left  to  the  decision  of  the  firm  and  inspector. 

The  method  of  fixing  the  driving  bands  is  left  to  the 
discretion  of  the  firm,  the  only  requirement  being  that  the 
order  must  be  manufactured  by  the  same  methods  as  used 
for  the  manufacture  of  test  consignment,  provided  that  the 
firing  trial  of  that  consignment  was  satisfactory.  The 
number  of  shrapnels  supplied  by  the  firm  for  this  firing  and 
for  the  inspection  of  the  driving  bands  is  mentioned  in 
Clause  2.  If  the  firm  is  proposing  to  alter  the  method  of 


204  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL  SHELL 

the  fixing  of  the  driving  bands,  it  must  submit,  at  its  own 
expense,  a  test  consignment  of  25  shrapnels  for  firing 
trials. 

During  the  manufacture  of  the  order  for  shrapnels  the 
inspector  has  the  right  to  choose,  if  he  thinks  it  necessary, 
from  each  consignment  submitted  to  him,  not  more  than 
1  per  cent  of  the  projectiles  for  the  removal  of  their  driv- 
ing bands,  in  order  to  ascertain  how  close  they  are  to  the 
shrapnel  bodies.  The  inspector  also  has  the  right  to  de- 
mand an  accuracy  trial  with  some  of  the  above-mentioned 
shrapnel,  but  in  this  case  he  must  give  detailed  reasons 
for  doing  so.  If  the  results  of  this  firing  are  unsatisfac- 
tory, the  military  authorities  have  the  right  to  demand  the 
replacement  of  driving  bands  on  the  whole  order. 

Clause  11.  Secondary  Inspection  of  Shrapnel  Bodies 
after  the  Firing  of  Driving  Bands.  —  The  shrapnels  ane  sub- 
mitted for  the  secondary  inspection  with  fixed  driving 
bands,  finished  sockets,  steel  diaphragms  in  place,  central 
tubes  and  socket  nut,  but  without  socket  fixing  screws,  as 
well  as  fuse  fixing  screws.  The  central  bosses  on  the  base 
must  be  cut  away  in  cases  where  the  shrapnels  were  sub- 
mitted with  them  for  the  first  inspection.  The  powder 
chamber,  lower  portion  of  steel  diaphragms,  and  inner  sur- 
face of  central  tube  must  be  covered  with  durable  varnish. 

During  this  inspection  special  care  must  be  taken  to 
ascertain  the  proper  fixing  of  the  driving  band.  The  proper 
fixing  of  the  driving  bands  is  ascertained  by  (1)  sounding 
them  with  small  hammers,  and  (2)  removal  of  driving 
bands  from  some  shrapnels,  preferably  those  rejected.  The 
driving  bands  when  being  sounded  with  hammer  must  not 
make  any  jarring  sound.  The  jarring  sound  is  only  al- 
lowed at  the  joint  of  the  driving  band,  for  not  more  than 
one-tenth  of  its  length;  the  bands  not  answering  to  these 
conditions  must  be  replaced  by  new  ones.  The  driving 
bands,  after  being  removed  from  the  shrapnel,  must  have 
impressions  of  the  waved  grooves  on  the  bottom  of  the 
groove;  the  inside  surface  must  not  show  the  pink  color  of 
the  unused  copper,  but  must  be  smooth  and  give  a  slight 
reflection. 


RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL  SHELL  205 

When  removing  the  driving  band,  special  attention  must 
be  paid  to  the  fact  that  the  bands  fit  properly  into  the 
sides  of  the  groove,  and  that  they  are  close  to  the  shrapnel 
bodies.  In  the  case  of  copper  strips  being  too  wide,  the 
shrapnel  bodies  show  cracks,  sometimes  on  account  of  the 
method  of  fixing  and  sometimes  on  account  of  too  high  a 
pressure.  These  cracks  can  be  ascertained  by  sounding  the 
shrapnels  with  a  hammer ;  the  cracked  shrapnels  will  make 
a  dull  sound.  Such  shrapnels  must  be  rejected. 

During  secondary  inspection,  the  inspector  must  ascer- 
tain the  following  facts : 

1.  If  the  powder  chamber,  lower  surface  of  steel  dia- 
phragms, and  inner  surface  of  the  central  tube  are  var- 
nished ;  if  steel  diaphragms  fit  properly  in  the  corresponding 
place  of  the  shrapnel  bodies ;  steel  diaphragms  must  bear  on 
the  lower  surface  of  the  shoulder  and  must  be  in  close  con- 
tact with  the  inside  surface  of  the  shrapnel  bodies.   Special 
care  must  be  taken  with  reference  to  the  tight  fitting  of 
the  steel  diaphragms. 

2.  The   base   of   shrapnel   bodies   must   be   absolutely 
smooth;  attention  must  be  paid  to  the  presence  of  rough 
surfaces;  black  spots,  cracks,  or  any  damages,  which  are 
not  allowed  on  the  site  of  the  central  boss ;  shrapnel  bodies 
with  such  defects  are  not  allowed. 

The  final  finishing  of  the  driving  band  may  be  done  after 
the  shrapnels  are  nickel-plated,  at  the  discretion  of  the 
inspector. 

Clause  12.  Inspection  of  Steel  Diaphragms. —  Dia- 
phragms are  made  from  steel  stampings  under  the  hammer 
or  press.  The  metal,  with  reference  to  the  mechanical 
qualities,  must  meet  the  requirements  set  forth  for  the 
shrapnel  bodies  (see  Clause  3).  The  holes  for  the  central 
tubes  must  be  drilled;  these  holes  must  be  made  with  a 
shoulder  for  the  central  tube ;  the  outer  surface  of  the  dia- 
phragm, as  well  as  the  shoulder  of  the  hole  for  the  central 
tube,  must  be  accurately  machined.  The  diaphragms  must 
not  show  any  cracks  or  other  defects. 

The  test  of  the  metal  for  the  diaphragms  consists  of  ham- 
mering them  by  the  dropping  of  a  weight  from  a  certain 


206  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL  SHELL 

height.  The  number  of  blows  which  the  diaphragms  can 
stand  without  any  cracks  must  be  ascertained  by  the  in- 
spector during  the  manufacture  of  the  test  consignment  of 
shrapnels.  In  addition  to  this,  the  quality  of  the  metal 
must  be  ascertained  by  the  Brinell  test.  During  firing,  the 
diaphragms  must  not  show  any  dents;  this  fact  must  be 
ascertained  on  some  shrapnels  recovered  after  the  firing. 

The  manufacturer  must  supply  the  inspector  with  ten 
diaphragms  for  the  mechanical  tests  of  material.  These  dia- 
phragms will  be  chosen  by  the  inspector  from  the  total  num- 
ber of  diaphragms  for  the  whole  consignment.  For  the 
hammering  tests,  not  more  than  one  per  cent  of  the  total 
diaphragms  must  be  chosen,  and  the  Brinell  test  must  be 
carried  out  on  not  less  than  one  per  cent  of  the  whole  num- 
ber of  diaphragms.  In  the  case  of  satisfactory  results,  the 
whole  consignment  is  accepted;  otherwise,  additional  tests 
on  two  per  cent  of  the  diaphragms  must  be  carried  out,  and 
in  the  case  of  unsatisfactory  results,  even  on  one  diaphragm, 
the  whole  consignment  will  be  rejected.  Diaphragms  must 
be  submitted  for  inspection  in  quantities  not  less  than  200. 
The  lower  surface  of  the  diaphragm  must  be  varnished  after 
inspection. 

In  the  case  of  the  manufacturer  being  allowed  to  make 
shrapnels  without  submission  to  test  consignment,  as  per 
Clause  3,  the  inspector  must  test  the  diaphragms  as  usual. 

Clause  13.  Inspection  of  Central  Tube.  —  The  central 
tubes  must  be  made  of  steel,  must  not  show  any  cracks, 
must  be  properly  welded,  and  must  be  of  similar  thickness 
on  the  whole  length.  For  the  purpose  of  ascertaining  the 
mechanical  qualities  of  the  metal  used  for  the  central  tubes, 
small  cylinders  %  inch  in  length  (li/2  times  the  diameter 
of  the  tube)  must  be  cut  from  some  of  the  tubes  which 
have  been  previously  properly  measured;  these  cylinders 
must  be  subjected  to  a  compression  test  under  the  press. 
The  minimum  resistance  shown  by  these  cylinders  under 
compression,  before  the  beginning  of  buckling,  must  be  not 
less  than  14.45  tons  per  square  inch.  The  outer  as  well  as 
the  inner  surfaces  of  tubes  must  be  smooth  and  their  ends 
must  be  cut  perpendicular  to  their  axes.  The  length  of  the 


RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL  SHELL  207 

tube  is  ascertained  during  the  assembling  of  the  shrapnel. 
In  the  assembled  shrapnel,  the  upper  end  of  the  central 
tube  must  be  inside  of  the  countersunk  hole  provided  for  in 
the  socket  nut. 

Clause  14.  Inspection  of  Sockets. — Sockets  must  be 
manufactured  from  steel.  The  breaking  strength  of  steel 
used  for  sockets  must  be  of  about  60  kilograms  per  square 
millimeter  (38.1  tons  per  square  inch),  with  an  elongation 
not  less  than  16  per  cent  (the  distance  between  marks  be- 
ing 2  inches).  Sockets  are  submitted  for  inspection  in 
quantities  of  not  less  than  100;  they  must  be  tapped  with 
thread  on  the  inside  as  well  as  on  the  outside  surfaces; 
the  conical  portion  of  the  surface  must  be  machined;  the 
upper  surface  must  be  machined,  but  this  machining  may 
be  left  rough  at  this  stage;  those  parts  of  the  sockets  by 
which  they  are  fixed  to  the  shrapnel  bodies  must  be  accu- 
rately machined;  the  sockets  must  be  accurately  cut.  The 
sockets  must  be  provided  with  two  holes,  one  for  filling  with 
resin,  and  another  one  for  the  escape  of  gases.  If  sockets 
are  stamped,  the  outer  surface  of  the  stem  can  be  left 
without  machining,  but  it  must  be  very  smooth.  The  upper 
surface  of  the  sockets  may  be  submitted  to  the  inspector 
without  being  finish-machined.  The  sockets  must  not 
show  any  signs  of  cracks,  fissures  or  any  rough  surface. 
Chipping  in  the  thread  of  the  hole  or  on  the  conical  fuse 
seat  may  be  allowed,  but  of  a  very  slight  nature. 

To  ascertain  the  mechanical  qualities  of  the  metal  used 
for  sockets,  the  inspector  has  the  right  to  carry  out  the 
tests  on  one  per  cent  of  the  sockets  from  each  consignment. 
For  this  purpose,  rings  must  be  cut  from  the  upper  portion 
of  the  sockets,  and  these  rings  are  subjected  to  the  ham- 
mering test  by  a  weight  dropped  from  a  certain  height. 
In  addition,  the  sockets  must  be  tested  with  the  Brinell 
test,  and  for  this  purpose  not  less  than  1  per  cent  of  the 
sockets  must  be  used. 

Clause  15.  Inspection  of  Brass  Socket  Nuts.  —  The 
socket  nuts  must  be  cast  of  an  alloy  consisting  of  2  parts 
of  copper  and  1  part  of  zinc,  taken  by  weight.  The  socket 
nuts  are  submitted  to  the  inspector  after  being  finally  ma- 


208  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL  SHELL 

chined,  threaded,  with  finished  upper  and  lower  surfaces, 
with  central  hole  made  to  the  drawing,  and  with  slot  for  the 
key.  Socket  nuts  must  not  show  any  defects. 

Clause  16.  Bullets  and  Smoke  Compositions.  —  Bullets 
must  be  of  a  true  spherical  shape;  they  must  be  cast  of  an 
alloy  consisting  of  4  parts  of  lead  and  1  part  of  antimony, 
taken  by  weight ;  sprues  must  be  cut  off,  and  the  surface  of 
the  bullets  must  be  smooth.  The  diameter  of  the  bullets 
is  0.5  inch;  mean  weight,  0.376  ounce.  Separate  bullets 
may  differ  from  the  mean  weight,  but  they  must  not  be  less 
than  0.373  ounce,  and  not  more  than  0.381  ounce.  Under 
slight  hammering  the  bullets  must  not  show  any  cracks. 
The  force  of  the  blow  must  be  decided  by  the  inspector,  the 
reason  for  this  test  being  to  ascertain  if  the  bullets  can  be 
used  in  shrapnels  where  they  are  slightly  compressed,  as 
after  this  pressure  they  must  not  show  any  cracks.  Shrap- 
nel must  contain  from  about  256  to  265  bullets. 

The  bullets  must  be  placed  in  proper  layers,  and  each 
layer  must  be  slightly  pressed  in,  but  after  this  .pressure 
bullets  must  not  be  deformed  to  any  noticeable  extent,  ex- 
cept those  in  the  bottom  layer.  Layers  consist  of  17  or  18 
bullets,  except  the  top  layers,  which  have  about  20  bullets 
each.  The  five  bottom  layers  of  bullets  must  be  covered 
with  smoke  composition  made  of  metallic  antimony  and 
magnesium  in  the  following  proportions,  by  weight :  55  parts 
of  antimony  and  45  parts  of  magnesium;  0.75  ounce  of 
smoke  composition  must  be  put  in  each  shrapnel.  This 
composition  must  be  put  in  after  the  first  five  layers  of  bul- 
lets are  in  place,  and  the  shrapnel  must  be  shaken  in  order 
to  settle  the  powder.  The  smoke  composition  must  ignite 
very  quickly.  The  inspector  must  see  that  the  composition 
is  made  from  the  magnesium  and  antimony  as  stated  above. 
With  bullets  in  place,  and  with  socket  in  proper  position,  the 
shell  must  be  filled  with  melted  resin. 

Clause  17.  The  Third  Inspection  of  Shrapnels  and 
Checking  of  Their  Weight.  —  The  shrapnels  for  the  third 
inspection  are  submitted  after  being  fully  assembled  and 
charged  with  the  bullets  and  smoke  composition,  and  after 
being  filled  with  resin;  the  holes  in  the  sockets  used  for 


RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL  SHELL  209 

filling  with  resin  and  for  the  escape  of  gases  must  be  stop- 
ped with  threaded  steel  plugs.  These  plugs  must  be  riveted 
over  and  polished  flush  with  the  surface  of  the  socket. 

During  the  third  inspection,  the  shrapnel  is  gaged  with 
special  gages  to  check  shape ;  the  hole  for  the  fuse  is  tested 
by  a  special  screw  gage;  copper  driving  bands  must  be  in- 
spected and  gaged.  After  this  inspection  the  shrapnels 
are  weighed.  The  shells  which  show  the  ends  of  the  driv- 
ing bands  not  completely  touching  each  other,  may  be  ac- 
cepted if  the  distance  between  them  is  very  small. 

The  outer  surface  of  the  socket  must  be  finish-machined 
and  must  be  smooth  and  perpendicular  to  the  center  line  of 
the  fuse  socket.  The  socket  must  be  fixed  by  means  of 
steel  screws,  the  outer  ends  of  which  must  be  cut  flush 
with  the  surface  of  the  shrapnel,  and  polished  over. 

During  this  inspection,  the  inspector  must  ascertain  that 
the  head  portion  of  the  shrapnels  does  not  show  any  cracks 
due  to  the  drilling  and  tapping  of  the  holes  for  the  screws. 
The  head  of  the  shrapnel  must  be  provided  with  a  tapped 
hole  for  the  fuse  securing  screw.  The  head  of  this  screw 
must  be  flush  with  the  shrapnel  bodies.  The  upper  end  of 
the  central  tube  must  fill  completely  the  countersunk  part 
provided  for  it  in  the  socket  nut,  if  it  is  in  proper  position. 
The  steel  gage  rod  dropped  into  the  opening  of  the  central 
tube  must  reach  the  base  of  the  shrapnel. 

To  ascertain  the  proper  assembling  of  the  inner  part  of 
the  shrapnels,  the  inspector  has  the  right  to  demand  dis- 
mantling of  not  more  than  0.5  per  cent  of  the  shrapnels 
submitted.  While  inspecting  the  dismantled  shrapnels,  the 
inspector  must  ascertain  the  following  points : 

1.  If  the  thread  of  fixing  screws  for  socket  and  fuse,  as 
well  as  the  threads  in  holes  for  them,  are  cleanly  cut,  and 
if  the  length  of  these  screws  is  sufficient. 

2.  If  the  socket  remains  steady  when  screwed  into  the 
shrapnel  bodies,  before  being  fixed  with  screws. 

3.  If  the  end  of  the  central  tube  remains  clean  and  the 
central  tube  itself  is  not  damaged  by  the  bullets. 

4.  If  the  bullets  are  covered  with  resin  and  if  the  shrap- 
nels are  filled  with  smoke  composition. 


210  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL  SHELL 

5.  If  the  number  of  bullets  is  correct,  and  also  that  they 
are  not  appreciably  damaged  after  pressing. 

6.  If  the  steel  diaphragm  is  in  the  right  position  in  the 
shrapnel. 

After  the  third  inspection  the  shrapnels  must  be  weighed ; 
the  normal  weight  of  the  assembled  shrapnels,  without  zinc 
plugs,  must  be  13  pounds  7.33  ounces  ±  1.053  ounce.  All 
shrapnels  passed  by  the  inspector  must  be  stamped  on  the 
base. 

Clause  18.  Nickel-plating,  Varnishing  and  Oiling.  — All 
the  outside  surfaces  of  the  shrapnel  with  the  exception  of 
the  copper  driving  bands  must  be  nickel-plated  and  var- 
nished. This  nickel-plating  and  varnishing  must  be  dura- 
ble. The  manufacturer  must  take  steps  to  prevent  the 
passage  of  the  liquid  inside  of  the  shrapnels  during  nickel- 
plating.  The  shrapnels  must  be  inspected  by  the  manu- 
facturer after  being  nickel-plated  so  as  to  ascertain  that 
no  liquid  passed  inside  the  powder  chamber,  and,  if  nec- 
essary, the  chamber  must  be  cleaned.  The  shrapnels  must 
be  submitted  for  final  inspection  after  being  nickel-plated 
and  varnished. 

The  socket  in  the  front  portion  of  the  shrapnel  must  be 
oiled  and  covered  with  the  zinc  plug  shown  in  Fig.  1;  the 
socket  must  be  fitted  with  fixing  screws  for  the  fuse;  the 
screws  must  be  oiled  with  naphtha  grease.  The  copper  driv- 
ing bands  must  be  gaged  during  this  inspection.  While  in- 
specting the  shrapnels,  the  inspector  must  see  to  the  follow- 
ing points: 

1.  That  the  driving  bands  are  not  damaged;  shrapnels 
with  damaged  bands  must  be  returned  to  the  works  for  new 
bands. 

2.  That  the  nickel-plating  of  the  shrapnels  is  sound  and 
that  the  nickel-plated  surfaces  do  not  show  any  signs  of 
rust. 

3.  That  the  fixing  screw  for  the  fuse  is  properly  cut ;  the 
top  of  this  screw,  when  screwed  completely  down,  must 
slightly  protrude  over  the  surface  of  the  shrapnel.     The 
threads  must  be  Whitworth,  24  threads  per  inch.     A  plug 
and  ring  gage  must  be  provided  for  gaging  this  thread. 


RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL  SHELL  211 

4.  That  the  socket  is  free  from  rust. 

5.  That  the  powder  chamber,  as  well  as  the  inside  of  the 
central  tube,  is  clean. 

The  zinc  plug  must  fit  properly  to  the  upper  surface  of 
the  fuse  socket.  The  copper  driving  bands  must  be  oiled 
with  naphtha  grease  to  prevent  them  from  corroding.  The 
shrapnel,  before  shipping  from  the  works,  must  be  packed 
in  strong  wooden  boxes.  The  details  of  the  packing  is  left 
to  the  discretion  of  the  manufacturer,  provided  that  it  is 
approved  by  the  inspector.  While  packing,  care  must  be 
taken  to  place  driving  bands  in  guards  to  prevent  their  be- 
ing damaged  by  knocks  from  the  outside,  or  from  rattling 
one  against  the  other,  or  against  the  packing  during  trans- 
port. 

The  number  of  shrapnels  packed  in  one  box  must  not 
exceed,  in  weight  (box  included),  253  pounds. 

When  shipping  the  manufactured  shrapnels  from  the 
works,  two  spare  fuse  fixing  screws  must  be  put  in  every 
box.  Spare  zinc  plugs,  5  per  cent  of  the  total  number  sup- 
plied, must  be  delivered  together  with  order  and  packed  in 
separate  wooden  boxes,  50  in  each  box. 

Clause  19.  Firing  Tests.  —  The  works  must  deliver  the 
required  number  of  shrapnels  to  the  place  where  they  will 
be.  tested.  The  proof  by  firing  will  be  carried  out  with  a 
3-inch  quick-firing  gun  with  a  charge  of  smokeless  powder, 
and  with  chamber  pressure  of  2400  atmospheres  (15.75 
tons  per  square  inch). 

The  recovery  proof  must  be  carried  out  without  bursting 
charge,  but  the  shrapnels  must  be  fitted  with  time  fuses. 
When  time  fuses  are  not  available,  the  proof  must  be  car- 
ried out  with  steel  or  brass  dummy  fuses  similar  to  those 
used  for  accuracy  trials.  These  dummy  fuses  must  be  sup- 
plied at  the  expense  of  the  firm.  Every  shrapnel  must  be 
weighed  and  the  weights  taken  down. 

The  time  fuse  must  be  set  a  distance  of  from  1400  to  1635 
yards.  It  must  be  noticed  whether  or  not  the  fuse  ex- 
plodes. To  obtain  the  best  conditions  for  observation, 
the  firing  must  take  place  with  sight  set  up  10  divisions 
higher  than  is  required  by  the  range.  Up  to  one-third  of 


212  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL  SHELL 

the  shrapnels  proved  for  recovery  must  be  fired  with  burst- 
ing charge,  so  as  to  ascertain  that  they  are  properly  assem- 
bled. The  fuse  socket  in  the  last  mentioned  cases  must  be 
plugged  with  dummy  fuses. 

The  firing  must  be  carried  out  at  such  a  range  as  to  enable 
the  recovery  of  the  shrapnels  for  inspection  and  measur- 
ing of  same ;  all  shrapnels,  before  firing,  must  be  measured 
on  their  cylindrical  portion  and  the  accuracy  of  the  base 
must  be  ascertained,  in  order  to  facilitate  notice  being  taken 
with  reference  to  the  bulging  of  the  bodies  and  bases  of  the 
shrapnels.  The  diameters  of  the  cylindrical  portion  must 
be  taken  in  sections  two  inches  apart.  Marks  must  be  made 
on  the  copper  driving  bands  and  on  the  cylindrical  part  of 
the  shrapnel  bodies  adjacent,  to  facilitate  notice  being  taken 
of  the  displacement  of  the  driving  band,  if  such  takes 
place. 

For  accuracy  trials,  shrapnels  without  time  fuse  must 
be  used,  and  special  steel  or  brass  dummy  fuses  must  be 
screwed  in;  the  outline  and  weight  of  this  dummy  must 
be  similar  to  that  of  the  fuse,  and  the  weight  of  the  shrapnel 
with  such  dummy  must  be  14  pounds  5.33  ounces.  These 
dummy  fuses  must  be  made  by  the  manufacturer  at  his  ex- 
pense. The  accuracy  trials  must  be  carried  out  by  aiming 
the  gun  at  a  vertical  target  at  a  range  of  2335  yards. 

After  the  firing  trial  for  recovery  and  for  accuracy,  the 
maximum  possible  number  of  shrapnels  must  be  recovered 
and  inspected,  as  to  any  marks  from  the  rifling  on  the 
shrapnel  bodies,  any  dents  or  damages  on  bases  or  heads, 
any  displacement  of  the  driving  bands  or  any  shrapnels  with 
broken  off  bases.  To  ascertain  the  accuracy  of  fitting  of 
the  steel  diaphragms,  and  the  condition  of  the  bullets,  two 
shrapnels  .must  be  dismantled.  In  addition,  all  those  shrap- 
nels which  have  displaced  central  tubes  must  be  dismantled. 
The  shrapnels  must  be  measured  on  their  diameter  in  order 
to  ascertain  the  deformations.  A  pit  test  must  also  be 
carried  out.  The  shrapnels  must  be  fully  loaded  for  the 
pit  test  and  must  be  fitted  with  ordinary  zinc  plugs  screwed 
into  the  fuse  sockets. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

SPECIFICATIONS    FOR    THE    MANUFACTURE    AND    IN- 
SPECTION OF  THE  COMBINATION  FUSE  FOR 
RUSSIAN  3-INCH  SHRAPNEL  SHELLS 


The  following  specifications  contain  all  the  essential  in- 
formation relating  to  the  Russian  aluminum  22-second  com- 
bination or  double-acting  fuse  for  shrapnel  shells  used  in 
3-inch  quick-firing  field  and  mountain  guns,  as  given  in 
the  official  specifications.  This  chapter,  therefore,  contains 
a  complete  description  of  every  part  used  in  the  fuse,  to- 
gether with  complete  details  relating  to  the  manufacture, 
inspection,  and  tests. 

Component  Parts  of  Fuse.  —  The  fuse  consists  of  over 
thirty  separate  parts,  the  names  of  each  of  which  are  speci- 
fied in  the  table  below,  together  with  their  weights. 

FUSE    PART  Weight  In   Ounces. 

Avoirdupois 

Stem    (with  cloth) 3.7166 

Chamber  bushing  with  needle  for  percussion  detonator 

cap    (without    powder) 0.1971 

Bushing  with  needle  for  time  detonator  cap 0.0331 

Plug  (brass)  in  the  flange  of  the  stem 0.0150 

Upper  time  ring  (complete  with  powder;  for  filling  in 
both  upper  and  lower  time  ring  0.24075  ounce  avoir- 
dupois of  powder  (fuse)  are  required;  for  1-000 
fuses,  the  following  quantities  of  fuse  powder  are 
required:  for  pressing  into  the  time  rings,  approxi- 
mately 16.25  pounds  avoirdupois;  for  powder  pellets 
in  the  vents  of  the  lower  time  ring,  approximately 
3.912  ounces  avoirdupois)  with  powder  and  parch- 
ment   1.1586 

Lower  time  ring  (see  note  in  parenthesis  on  upper  time 

ring)   with  powder,  asbestos,  pins,  and  tin  disk 1.1496 

Nut 3.6278 

Two  set-screws  for  nut 0.0361 

Tightening   ring    (split) 0.5492 

Time   detonator    (assembled) 0.2632 

Time  detonator  parts: 

Pellet    0.1429 

Rod    0.1023 

Spiral  brass  spring 0.0030 

Cap  0.0150 

Safety  bushing  for  the  time  detonator  (the  bushing  for 
the  time  detonator  for  mountain  guns  weighs  0.0677 

ounce  avoirdupois) 0.1128 

213 


214  RUSSIAN   COMBINATION   FUSE 

Percussion    detonator    (assembled) 0.4514 

Percussion  detonator  parts: 

Pellet    0.3671 

Brass  bushing 0.0451 

Lead  disk   (washer  on  flange) 0.0226 

Cap    0.0166 

Safety  arrangement  for  percussion  detonator: 

Brass  safety  stirrup  with  brass  control  spring 0.0481 

Steel    spiral    spring 0.1655 

Lock  bushing  for  the  safety  stirrup  for  percussion  de- 
tonator    0.5597 

Base  plug  with  counter  safety  lug  and  brass  disk 0.5718 

Lead   disk 0.1520 

Powder  for  the  chamber  bushing  and  transmitting  duct 

of  stem 0.0572 

Mean  weight   of  complete   and   ready-for-firing  fuse   for 

3-inch  field  gun 12.8628 

Mean   weight  of  complete  and  ready-for-firing  fuse   for 

3-inch  mountain   gun 12.8177 

The  weights  of  the  additional  parts  not  included   in 
above   list   are: 

Tin  protecting  cover  with  tape 1.0533 

Copper  wire  for  removing  the  cover 0.1053 

Shell  grease  for  lubricating  grooves   of  stem 0.0196 

Design  and  Construction  of  Stem.  —  The  stem  is  to  be 
cast  of  aluminum  (or  an  alloy  of  aluminum  and  copper) 
and  pressed.  The  top  of  the  stem  is  to  be  turned  on  the 
outside  into  three  cylindrical  shoulders,  the  upper  one  be- 
ing threaded  for  receiving  the  nut;  on  the  surface  of  the 
two  upper  shoulders,  parallel  to  the  axis  of  the  stem,  three 
guiding  grooves  are  milled.  The  base  of  the  stem  top 
serves  as  a  turning  axis  for  the  lower  time  ring.  The 
interior  of  the  top  of  the  stem  is  to  be  bored  out  to  form 
three  cylindrical  chambers,  the  lower  of  which  is  threaded 
to  receive  the  brass  bushing  with  the  conical  steel  needle; 
the  latter  is  lacquered  and  inserted  into  the  bushing  from 
the  bottom,  its  head  being  riveted.  To  prevent  the  un- 
screwing of  the  bushing,  the  latter  is  nipped  in  two  places. 
A  vent  is  drilled  through  the  wall  at  the  top  of  the  stem. 

The  upper  face  of  the  flange  of  the  stem  has  a  rim  on  its 
circumference,  and  on  a  radius  located  in  a  vertical  plane 
with  the  vent  of  the  stem  top,  a  transmitting  duct  is  drilled, 
reaching  from  the  lateral  surface  of  the  flange  to  the  pow- 
der chamber  of  the  fuse ;  the  upper  face  of  the  flange  com- 
municates with  this  duct  through  an  ignition  hole  pasted 


RUSSIAN   COMBINATION   FUSE  215 

onto  the  top  with  a  muslin  disk.  The  transmitting  duct 
(covered  with  a  neutral  varnish)  is  filled,  in  the  assembled 
fuse,  with  grain  powder  (for  100  fuses,  about  3.84  pounds 
avoirdupois  of  unpolished  rifle  powder  is  required)  and 
closed  with  a  brass  plug.  On  the  lateral  surface  of  the 
flange  two  annular  grooves  are  milled  out,  the  lower  of 
which  has  four  recesses  for  staking  in  the  tin  cover. 

On  the  lower  face  of  the  flange  (two  marks  shall  be 
placed  on  this  face,  one  giving  the  last  two  digits  of  the 
year  of  manufacture  of  the  fuses,  and  the  other  the  number 
of  the  control  consignment  of  the  same  year) ,  at  the  ends 
of  a  diameter,  two  slanting  cuts  are  milled  for  the  wrench 
which  screws  the  fuse  into  the  shrapnel.  On  the  same 
lateral  surface  a  conical  mark  is  cut,  colored  red,  for  the 
setting  of  the  graduations  of  the  fuse;  on  the  top  face  of 
the  flange  a  cloth  washer  is  pasted,  with  a  hole  punched  in 
it  over  the  ignition  hole.  The  cloth  is  pasted  with  a  special 
thick  varnish  which  is  also  used  for  pasting  the  twilled  tape 
to  the  cover.  The  varnish  consists  of  white  resin,  shellac 
and  turpentine  soluble  in  alcohol.  Through  the  lateral  sur- 
face of  the  flange  a  hole  is  drilled,  leading  to  the  lower  face 
of  the  flange  and  intended  for  fastening  the  copper  wire  for 
tearing  off  the  cover. 

The  tail  of  the  stem  is  shaped  with  a  smooth  cone  on  the 
top  and  a  threaded  cylinder  at  the  bottom;  the  interior  of 
the  tail  is  to  be  bored  out  to  form  three  cylindrical  cham- 
bers, the  upper  and  lower  of  which  are  threaded  to  receive 
the  chamber  and  the  base  plugs,  and  the  smooth,  middle 
one,  is  intended  for  the  percussion  arrangement. 

The  Chamber  Bushing. —  The  chamber  bushing  (brass) 
has  four  holes  in  its  bottom  for  transmitting  the  flame  into 
the  interior  of  the  shrapnel  shell,  and  one  central  hole  into 
which  the  varnished  steel  needle  is  screwed  from  the  top. 
The  lower  face  of  the  bottom  of  the  bushing  is  recessed  for 
locating  the  compressed  brass  counter  spring  of  the  percus- 
sion safety  stirrup.  The  inside  surface  of  the  bushing  is 
covered  with  neutral  varnish,  and,  before  filling  it  with 
powder,  a  muslin  and  wax  paper  disk  are  deposited  at  the 
bottom.  The  powder  in  the  bushing  is  compressed  slightly, 


216  RUSSIAN   COMBINATION   FUSE 

to  prevent  its  scattering  in  handling,  before  screwing  the 
bushings  in  their  places.  The  screwed-in  bushing  is  nipped 
in  two  places  and  its  wall  is  drilled  through  the  transmitting 
duct,  before  charging  the  latter,  for  exposing  the  powder 
in  the  bushing. 

The  Time  Rings.  — Both  time  rings  are  cast  from  an 
aluminum-copper  alloy  (copper  from  2!/2  to  3  per  cent)  and 
stamped  in  a  die;  on  the  under  side  of  each  ring  a  groove 
with  an  intervening  bridge  and  semi-circular  arch  is  formed 
by  first  stamping  it  in  a  die  and  then  milling  it.  The  grooves 
are  coated  on  the  inside  with  Ossovetski's  neutral  varnish, 
and  fuse  powder  pressed  into  them.  The  portions  filled  with 
powder  are  then  turned  off  and  a  thin,  parchment  washer 
pasted  on  their  under  surface  with  a  neutral  varnish.  The 
parchment  of  each  time  ring  is  punctured  over  the  trans- 
mitting hole,  to  hasten  the  transmission  of  the  flame  in 
grape-shot  firing. 

The  upper  time  ring  is  turned  on  the  inside  to  form  two 
cones  connected  by  a  circular  section;  the  lower  cone  also 
terminates  into  a  circular  section  having  three  protruding 
lugs  fitting  into  the  three  slots  of  the  stem  top,  thus  allowing 
the  time  ring  to  slide  vertically  only  along  the  axis  of  the 
fuse.  On  the  upper  side  of  the  time  ring  an  annular  groove 
is  to  be  turned  for  the  reception  of  a  soaked  leather  washer. 
From  the  lower  cone  of  the  time  ring  an  oblique  hole  is  to  be 
bored,  near  one  end  of  the  bridge  (left  end  in  looking  at  the 
lower  end  of  the  time  ring)  communicating  with  the  trans- 
mitting hole  drilled  through  the  composition  groove. 
Through  this  oblique  hole  the  composition  is  ignited  from 
the  time  detonator  cap  of  the  fuse,  assisted  by  the  powdei 
preparation  pasted  by  means  of  alcohol  varnish  on  the  side 
wall  of  the  hole  next  to  the  bridge.  From  the  circular  sec- 
tion-connecting both  cones  of  the  time  ring  to  the  under  side 
of  the  same,  four  gas  escape  holes  are  provided,  facilitating 
the  escape  of  the  gases  from  the  burning  lower  time  com 
position. 

The  lower  time  ring  is  turned  on  the  inside,  providing  a 
slight  cylindrical  shoulder  fitting  on  the  base  of  the  stem 
top  and  turning  freely  around  same.  At  one  end  of  the 


RUSSIAN   COMBINATION   FUSE  217 

intervening  bridge  (opposite  the  one  in  the  upper  ring)  a 
transmitting  hole  is  drilled  through  the  bottom  of  the  com- 
position groove  of  the  time  ring,  transmitting  the  flame 
from  the  upper  to  the  lower  composition.  To  insure  the 
ignition  of  the  composition,  a  powder  pellet  with  a  central 
hole  is  inserted  into  the  transmitting  hole.  From  this  trans- 
mitting hole,  a  gas  escape  hole,  located  on  a  radius  of  the 
time  ring  is  provided,  which  at  its  base  has  a  bursting 
charge  of  powder  (varnished)  pressed  into  it,  plugged  up 
with  asbestos,  and  covered  with  a  foil  ring  pasted  with 
varnish.  This  hole  facilitates  the  escape  of  gases  from  the 
burning  composition  of  the  lower  time  ring.  The  asbestos 
plug  prevents  the  possibility  of  a  premature  ignition  of  the 
lower  composition  from  the  upper  one,  and  the  powder 
charge  is  intended  for  an  immediate  clearing  of  the  plug- 
ging at  the  gas  escape  hole  soon  after  the  ignition  of  the 
lower  composition  through  the  transmitting  hole.  The  lat- 
eral surface  of  the  lower  time  ring  is  provided  with : 

1.  Four  pairs  of  pins  inserted  into  corresponding  holes 
for  the  setting  of  the  fuse  by  hand. 

2.  Two  holes  for  a  wrench,  if  same  should  be  required 
for  setting  the  fuses. 

3.  Graduation  from  10  to  130. 

4.  Separate  graduation  marked  with  the  digit  "5." 

5.  One  notch  marked  in  red  and  one  notch  marked  in 
black  with  letters  as  directed  by  the  contracting  govern- 
ment. 

The  upper  side  of  the  lower  time  ring  is  covered  with  a 
cloth  washer  having  an  opening  opposite  the  transmitting 
hole. 

The  Brass  Nut.  —  From  the  outside,  the  nut  presents  a 
rounded  surface  terminating  into  an  umbrella.  Inside  the 
nut  a  thread  is  cut  for  screwing  onto  the  top  of  the  stem ; 
the  threaded  hole  opens  into  an  oval  cylindrical  cavity  com- 
municating with  the  outside  atmosphere  by  means  of  four 
openings  in  the  neck  of  the  umbrella.  The  edges  of  these 
four  openings  are  milled  out  on  a  side  opposite  to  the  direc- 
tion of  the  rotation  of  the  shell  to  facilitate  the  escape  of 
gases.  At  the  bottom  of  the  nut  an  arch-like  annular  recess 


218  RUSSIAN   COMBINATION   FUSE 

is  milled  out  for  the  accumulation  of  gases  from  the  burn- 
ing compositions  of  the  time  rings,  whence  they  escape  into 
the  above-mentioned  oval  cylindrical  cavity  through  four 
inclined  channels,  and  then  out  of  the  fuse  through  the  open- 
ings in  the  neck  of  the  umbrella.  The  nut  is  provided  with 
two  brass  screws  for  securing  it  in  place,  after  being 
screwed  home  on  the  top  of  the  stem. 

Upper  Percussion  Arrangement. —  The  upper  percussion 
arrangement  consists  of  a  brass  time  pellet  and  safety  fer- 
rule ;  the  time  detonating  cap  is  inserted  into  the  pellet  and 
is  held  in  place  by  means  of  a  brass  rod  and  brass  spiral 
spring  wound  on  the  head  of  the  latter.  The  safety  ferrule 
is  a  hollow  cylinder  with  a  side  slot,  resting  on  the  shoulder 
between  the  upper  and  lower  chambers  of  the  stem  top.  In 
its  outside  appearance  the  time  pellet  represents  a  cylin- 
der of  two  different  diameters  connected  with  a  conical 
slope;  with  the  latter,  the  pellet  resting  on  the  conical  en- 
largement of  the  ferrule.  The  lower  cylindrical  part  of  the 
pellet  slides  into  the  inside  of  the  ferrule,  and  the  upper,  to- 
gether with  the  projecting  part  of  the  rod,  is  located  above 
the  top  of  the  stem  in  the  cavity  of  the  nut  leaning  with 
its  steel  spring  against  the  arch  of  the  cavity.  The  rod  is 
kept  firmly  in  place,  being  staked  in  on  the  circumference 
of  the  joint  in  two  places. 

On  the  top  of  the  stem,  embracing  the  middle  smooth 
cylindrical  portion,  the  brass  conical  tightening  ring  is  put 
on,  fitting  into  the  conical  seat  of  the  upper  time  ring.  The 
ring  is  provided  with  a  pin,  which  is  guided  in  its  move- 
ments by  one  of  the  three  grooves  in  the  top  of  the  stem, 
opposite  the  vent.  In  order  not  to  cover  up  the  vent  in  the 
stem  top,  a  longitudinal  slot  is  cut  in  the  ring  opposite  the 
former;  the  eight  other  grooves  on  the  outside  of  the  ring 
facilitate  the  tightening  of  the  ring. 

Lower  Percussion  Arrangement.  —  The  lower  percussion 
arrangement  is  located  in  the  tail  of  the  stem  between  the 
chamber  and  the  base  bushing  and  consists  of  a  percussion 
pellet,  lock  bushing,  brass  safety  stirrup  with  counter 
spring,  steel  spiral  spring,  and  lead  washer.  The  brass  per- 
cussion pellet,  turned  all  over,  is  provided  with :  1.  Bottom 


RUSSIAN  COMBINATION  FUSE  219 

shoulder  resting  on  lead  washer  in  base  plug;  the  top  of 
this  shoulder  is  turned  off  and  the  strips  of  the  counter 
safety  catch  hold  onto  it.  2.  Cylindrical  shoulder  with 
lower  turn  of  steel  spiral  spring  embracing  same  and  guid- 
ing the  compression  of  the  spring  when  the  lock  bushing 
is  settling  down.  3.  Lead  washer  with  rectangular  open- 
ing, coated  with  varnish,  and  placed  on  the  upper  face  of 
the  shoulder.  4.  Parallel  faces  along  which  are  placed 
the  leaves  of  the  safety  stirrup.  On  the  upper  part  of  the 
two  opposite  faces  of  the  percussion  pellet  transverse  cuts 
are  milled  out  into  which  special  tongues  of  the  leaves  of 
the  safety  stirrup  fit.  The  safety  stirrup  with  the  counter 
spring  soldered  to  it  has  four  leaves,  two  of  which  (oppo- 
site ones)  are  bent  in  the  middle  outwardly  and  two  of 
which  are  straight,  with  only  a  slight  outward  bend  at 
their  ends;  the  latter  leaves  have  tongues  for  fitting  into 
the  cuts  of  the  pellets,  as  shown  in  Fig.  4,  Chapter  I. 

The  lock  bushing  is  a  hollow  brass  cylinder,  the  outer 
upper  portion  of  which  is  rounded  off  and  made  wider  than 
the  lower  one;  the  interior  is  bored  out  cylindrically  and 
then  widened  into  a  cone,  which  catches  the  straight  leaves 
of  the  safety  stirrup  when  the  lock  bushing  is  settling  down, 
thus  preventing  the  latter  from  moving  upwards.  The 
steel  spiral  spring  in  conjunction  with  the  bent  leaves  of 
the  stirrup  hold  the  lock  bushing  over  the  percussion  pellet. 
The  percussion  cap  is  kept  in  place  by  means  of  a  brass 
bushing  which  is  staked  in  from  below  in  two  places. 

Base  Plug.  —  The  base  plug,  which  is  made  of  brass,  has 
an  annular  groove  formed  at  the  bottom  near  the  wall, 
which  serves  for  fastening  the  counter  safety  lugs  made  of 
two  strips  of  copper.  At  one  end,  the  lugs  are  inserted  in 
the  groove  (at  the  opposite  ends  of  a  diameter),  and  at 
this  place  the  metal  is  jammed;  with  their  other  ends  the 
lugs  catch  onto  the  shoulder  of  the  bottom  flange  of  the 
percussion  pellet,  inserted  in  the  base  plug  together  with 
the  lead  washer.  The  base  plug  has  a  flat  bottom  with  a 
central  opening  covered  with  a  brass  disk ;  in  order  not  to 
leave  any  space  between  this  disk  and  its  seat,  the  former 
is  covered  with  varnish  from  below;  two  other  holes  at 


220  RUSSIAN   COMBINATION   FUSE 

the  bottom  of  the  bushing,  not  drilled  through,  serve  for 
the  insertion  of  a  wrench. 

Testing  Fuses  and  Their  Component  Parts.  —  These  tests 
are  carried  out  as  follows : 

1.  The  brass  safety  stirrups  and  bushings    (time  and 
percussion)  are  divided  into  lots  of  500  each.     Five  per  cent 
of  each  lot  shall  be  tested  for  bending  in  a  hydraulic  testing 
press.     The  resisting  force  of  the  percussion  safety  stir- 
rups must  be  within  the  limits  of  58.68  to  85.77  pounds 
avoirdupois,  that  of  the  brass  counter  springs  between  2.71 
to  3.16  pounds  avoirdupois,  and  that  of  the  time  safety 
bushing  between  72.23  to  99.31  pounds  avoirdupois.     (For 
fuses  for  mountain  artillery,  from  40.63  to  54.17  pounds 
avoirdupois.)     All  the  time  safety  bushings  shall  also  be 
subjected  on  the  same  press  to  a  compression  test  of  72.23 
pounds  (for  fuses  for  mountain  guns,  45.14  pounds  avoir- 
dupois), and  only  those  which  have  stood  this  test  are 
finally  considered  suitable  for  the  assembly  of  the  fuses. 

2.  The  steel  spiral  springs  shall  have  no  more  than  2% 
turns,  and  the  upper  and  lower  one  must  lie  in  a  horizontal 
plane  and  approach  the  nearest  turn.     In  compressing  the 
springs  to  0.33  inch,  the  springs  must  withstand  a  pressure 
of  from  20.76  to  47.08  pounds  avoirdupois,  and  after  remov- 
ing the  compressive  load  must  resume  the  dimensions  within 
the  given  limits. 

3.  One-quarter  per  cent  of  the  completely  assembled 
percussion  arrangement  must  be  tested  for  determining  the 
correctness  of  the  locking  of  the  lock  bushing  with  the 
safety  stirrup,  with  the  former  in  its  settling  down  position. 

4.  The  counter  safety  lugs  with  the  base  plugs  are  made 
up  into  lots  of  500  each;  5  per  cent  of  each  lot,  with  the 
inserted  percussion  arrangement  held  in  place  by  bending 
the  lugs  on  the  shoulder  of  the  lower  flange,  are  tested 
under  load  for  unbending  the  catches  of  the  counter  safety 
lugs.     At  a  load  of  from  3.61  to  5.42  pounds  avoirdupois, 
the  lugs  must  release  the  pellet.     The  percussion  and  time 
safety  bushings  and  stirrups  should  be  numbered  with  the 
number  of  the  lot,  in  the  order  of  their  manufacture. 

5.  In  order  to  secure  easy  turning  of  the  lower  time 


RUSSIAN   COMBINATION   FUSE  221 

ring  by  hand,  in  setting  the  fuse,  the  pressure  on  the  nut 
in  screwing  it  home  should  be  determined  by  readings  of  an 
automatic  control  wrench  and  should  be  between  6.32  and 
8.12  pounds  avoirdupois. 

6.  .For  testing  the  degree  of  uniformity  of  the  fuses, 
they  are  divided  into  lots  of  not  more  than  500  each.     The 
testing  for  the  full  burning  time  of  the  fuse  is  to  take  place 
on  a  special  apparatus  and  shall.be  determined  by  a  stop- 
watch; the  mean  arithmetical  difference  from  the  mean 
time  of  burning  shall  be  determined  from  six  tested  fuses 
and  shall  not  exceed  0.13  second.    If  a  greater  difference  is 
obtained,  nine  more  fuses  shall  be  burned  and  the  mean 
difference  determined  from  fifteen  separate  readings.     If 
the  result  is  more  than  0.13  second,  ten  more  fuses  shall  be 
burned  and  the  mean  difference  determined  from  all  the 
twenty-five  fuses.    If  a  lot  does  not  fulfill  the  required  test, 
all  the  time  rings  shall  be  rejected  and  the  powder  in  same 
burned  out. 

7.  In  order  to  determine  whether  all  the  component  parts 
of  a  fuse  are  properly  assembled  and  kept  firmly  in  place 
without  moving,  each  fuse  is  shaken  by  hand  and  weighed; 
if  the  smallest  weight  of  a  fuse  is  not  less  than  12.862 
ounces  avoirdupois  (for  a  mountain  fuse,  not  less  than  12.81 
ounces  avoirdupois)  and  no  displacement  of  any  of  its  com- 
ponent parts  ascertained,  the  fuse  is  set  on  "grape-shot" 
and  provided  with  a  protective  tin  cover;  otherwise  the 
fuse  shall  be  taken  apart  to  determine  whether  all  the  parts 
are  inserted  in  the  fuse. 

8.  The  percussion   and  time   detonator  caps   shall   be 
tested  for  their  sensitiveness  to  ignition  by  being  thrown 
from  a  height  of  two  feet  for  the  former,  and  1.5  feet  for 
the  latter,  on  the  same  apparatus  as  caps  for  other  fuses. 
For  testing  the  percussion  caps,  the  lower  percussion  ar- 
rangement is  set,  i.  e.,  the  lock  bushing  is  set  until  locked 
with  the  percussion  pellet  by  means  of  the  leaves  of  the 
safety  stirrup,  and  then  carefully  thrust  onto  the  needle  of 
the  tail  of  the  stem. 

For  testing  the  time  detonator  caps,  the  time  pellet  is 
first  inserted  into  the  safety  bushing;  this  is  done  in  order 


222  RUSSIAN   COMBINATION   FUSE 

to  increase  the  weight  of  the  pellet,  as  its  own  weight  is 
too  small  and  would  necessitate  a  considerable  lifting  of 
the  rod  of  the  testing  apparatus.  In  order  to  conveniently 
insert  the  time  pellet  within  the  safety  bushing,  the  cham- 
ber in  the  top  of  the  stem  (the  middle  one)  is  bored  out, 
and  the  percussion  pellet  is  carefully  thrust  onto  the  needle. 
In  testing  the  percussion  detonator  caps,  the  tail  of  the 
stem  is  screwed  into  the  end  sleeve  of  the  rod  of  the  testing 
apparatus,  and  in  testing  the  time  detonator  caps  the  top 
of  the  stem  is  treated  in  the  same  manner;  in  the  latter 
test,  the  time  rings  are  first  put  on  the  flange  of  the  stem. 

For  testing  the  caps  delivered  to  the  works  manufactur- 
ing the  fuses  in  hermetically  sealed  boxes  (1500  percussion 
and  2500  time  detonator  caps  in  each  lot),  i/2  Per  cent  of 
the  percussion  caps  and  1  per  cent  of  the  time  caps  are 
selected  for  this  purpose.  The  caps  are  regarded  as  satis- 
factory if,  in  testing  the  percussion  caps,  there  will  not  be 
more  than  1  per  cent  of  cases  missing  fire  or  failing  to 
knock  out  the  brass  disk  from  the  base  plug ;  in  testing  the 
time  caps  the  number  of  cases  of  non-ignition  of  the  time 
rings  shall  not  exceed  Va  per  cent.  The  ignited  percussion 
caps  must  burn  the  muslin  and  paper  disks  placed  at  the 
bottom  of  the  chamber  bushing  and  ignite  its  powder. 

9.  Out  of  a  control  consignment  of  25,000  fuses,  25  shall 
be  selected  for  shaking  tests  on  a  testing  machine  during 
IVa  hour  (10  fuses  will  be  shaken  in  a  horizontal  position 
and  15  in  a  vertical),  in  order  to  determine  the  servicea- 
bility of  the  fuses  under  the  most  unfavorable  conditions 
which  can  be  encountered  in  transporting  the  shells. 

Equipment  of  Fuses  with  Protective  Covers. —  The  tin  cap 
covering  the  fuse  is  pressed  into  both  grooves  on  the  lateral 
surface  of  the  flange  of  the  stem ;  opposite  the  holes  in  the 
lower  groove  the  cover  is  staked  in ;  for  waterproofing  the 
fuse,  the  grooves  should  be  filled  with  grease  (consisting 
of  58 Va  parts  of  beeswax,  291/2  parts  of  naphtha  grease,  and 
12  parts  of  white  resin).  To  conveniently  throw  off  the 
cover,  a  copper  wire,  stranded  of  four  separate  thin  wires 
to  preserve  its  flexibility,  is  inserted  in  the  upper  groove 
before  putting  on  the  cover.  One  end  of  the  wire  is  slip- 


RUSSIAN   COMBINATION   FUSE  223 

ped  through  the  opening  in  the  flange  and  fastened  at  the 
bottom;  the  wire  then  runs  around  almost  the  whole  cir- 
cumference of  the  groove,  is  bent  in  a  right  angle  in  the 
direction  of  the  markings  on  the  flange  to  the  top  of  the 
cover,  where  it  is  knotted  and  kept  in  place  by  a  protruding 
button  pressed  out  of  the  cover.  A  piece  of  twilled  tape  is 
fastened  to  the  wire,  which  tape,  in  turn,  is  pasted  to  the 
body  of  the  cover. 

Boxing  of  Fuses. — Each  fuse  with  cover,  after  being 
examined  and  the  varnish  of  the  tape  being  found  perfectly 
dry,  is  carefully  wrapped  in  wrapping  paper;  15  fuses  are 
placed  in  a  zinc  box  padded  at  the  bottom  with  perfectly 
dry  felt,  and  the  spaces  between  the  fuses  filled  in  with  felt 
or  cloth  cuttings.  The  fuses  are  covered  with  felt  padding 
and  the  cover  is  soldered  to  the  box.  A  paper  ticket,  pasted 
on  the  top  of  the  box,  should  contain  the  following  infor- 
mation :  The  number  of  the  box  in  the  order  of  manufac- 
ture of  the  fuses  in  the  current  year,  the  year  of  their 
manufacture,  the  name  of  the  fuses  and  the  quantity  per 
box,  the  number  of  the  control  consignment  and  of  the  daily 
output,  the  time  of  pressing  in  the  composition,  and  the 
time  of  the  ignition  test.  The  dimensions  of  the  box  are: 
length,  12.15  to  12.20  inches,  width,  7.25  to  7.30  inches,  and 
height,  3.11  to  3.16  inches.  Four  zinc  boxes  are  put  into  a 
wooden  box. 

The  following  information  should  be  given  on  the  tag 
pasted  on  the  lower  side  of  the  wooden  box  cover:  The 
number  of  the  box  in  the  order  of  their  manufacture  in  the 
current  year,  the  year  of  the  manufacture  of  the  fuses,  the 
kind  of  fuses,  and  the  quantity  in  the  box.  On  the  top  of 
the  box  a  stenciled  inscription  should  be  made  giving  the 
number  of  the  box,  the  quantity  and  kind  of  fuses,  and  the 
year  of  their  manufacture.  On  the  side  of  the  box  the 
number  of  the  control  consignment  and  the  year  of  manu- 
facture should  be  marked.  On  boxes  containing  fuses  with 
alloy  time  rings,  the  number  of  the  box  and  the  year  of 
manufacture  on  the  cover  of  the  box,  as  well  as  the  number 
of  the  lot  and  the  year  of  manufacture  on  the  side  of  the 
box,  should  be  colored  red.  The  weight  of  one  zinc  box  con- 


224  RUSSIAN   COMBINATION   FUSE 

taining  fifteen  fuses  should  be  approximately  16.7  pounds 
avoirdupois,  and  the  weight  of  one  wooden  box  containing 
four  zinc  boxes  be  approximately  90.3  pounds  avoirdupois. 
Instructions  for  Conducting  Firing  Tests.  —  The  follow- 
ing instructions  for  conducting  firing  tests  are  given  in  the 
official  specifications: 

1.  For  firing  tests,  fifty-five  fuses  should  be  tested  out 
of  a  lot  of  25,000  fuses  or  less. 

2.  The  fuses  are  to  be  subjected  to  the  following  firing 
tests,  using  cast-iron  experimental  shells :     Field  fuses  will 
be  fired  from  a  3-inch  quick-firing  field  gun  at  a  muzzle 
velocity  of  1930  feet  per  second  and  mean  pressure  of  not 
more  than  2400  atmospheres    (35,500  pounds  per  square 
inch),  and  a  maximum  pressure  of  not  more  than  2550 
atmospheres    (37,500  pounds  per  square  inch) .    Fuses  from 
a  3-inch  quick-firing  mountain  gun,  model  1904,  are  fired  at 
a  muzzle  velocity  of  950  feet  per  second  and  a  mean  pressure 
of  about  1250  atmospheres  (18,400  pounds  per  square  inch) , 
or  from  a  3-inch  quick-firing  gun,  model  1909,  at  a  muzzle 
velocity  of  1250  feet  per  second  and  mean  pressure  of  ap- 
proximately 1700  atmospheres   (25,000  pounds  per  square 
inch). 

(a)  25  fuses  should  be  tested  by  firing  for  percussion 
action  at  a  distance  of  about  4900  feet. 

(b)  25  fuses  should  be  tested  for  firing  for  time  action 
by  setting  the  fuse  at  52  (mountain  guns  at  66) ,  or  at  any 
other  graduation  depending  on  the  atmospheric  conditions 
of  the  day,  in  order  to  obtain  a  mean  bursting  distance  of 
7000  feet,  whereby  the  mean  height  of  the  bursting  should 
amount  to  approximately  0.012  of  the  distance. 

(c)  5  fuses  should  be  tested  for  "grape  shot"  action 
without  removing  the  protecting  cover. 

(d)  Mountain  fuses  are  also  tested  with  25  shots  for 
time  action  from  a  counter-storming  gun  at  a  distance  of 
3500  feet  and  a  mean  pressure  of  approximately  1100  atmos- 
pheres  (16,200  pounds  per  square  inch). 

3.  A  lot  of  fuses  is  considered  satisfactory  if: 

(a)     In  firing  for  percussion  action  not  more  than  2  fail- 
ures shall  take  place,  whereby  the  bursting  on  ricocheting  at 


RUSSIAN  COMBINATION  FUSE  225 

the  second  or  further  falls  is  considered  as  a  failure. 

(b)  In  firing  with  the  fuse  set  at  52  or  at  any  other 
graduation,  depending  on  the  atmospheric  conditions  of  the 
day,  in  order  to  obtain  a  mean  exploding  distance  of  7000 
feet,  not  more  than  one  failure  shall  result,  and  the  probable 
deflection  determined  from  not  less  than  20  shots  will  not 
exceed  84  feet.     In  case  no  failures  should  occur,  it  is 
permissible  in  figuring  the  probable  deflection  not  to  take 
into  consideration  one  of  the  shots  deflected  not  more  than 
420  feet  from  the  mean  point  of  explosion  on  the  smaller 
side,  or  one  deflected  on  the  larger  side. 

(c)  In  firing  "grape  shot,"  the. mean  point  of  explosion 
shall  not  be  farther  than  42  feet,  and  any  individual  explo- 
sion not  farther  than  140  feet. 

(d)  In  firing  for  time  and  percussion  action  not  a  single 
premature  explosion  shall  take  place. 

4.  A  lot  which  did  not  satisfy  these  conditions  is  ac- 
cepted for  a  second  test,  if  at  the  first  test  the  following 
conditions  prevailed  : 

(a)  Not  more  than  3  failures  were  obtained  in  firing  for 
percussion  action. 

(b)  In  firing  for  time  action  not  more  than  two  failures 
took  place,  and  the  probable  deflection  did  not  exceed  98 
feet. 

(c)  In  testing  for  "grape  shot"  action  not  more  than  one 
failure  took  place,  the  mean  point  of  bursting  being  not 
farther  than  56  feet  and  any  individual  explosion  not  more 
than  175  feet. 

(d)  In  firing  for  time  and  percussion  action  not  a  single 
premature  explosion  took  place. 

5.  A  lot  which  failed  in  the  first  test,  but  which  satis- 
fied the  requirements  of  Paragraph  4  shall  be  tested  over 
again,  according  to  Paragraph  3,  on  that  point  only  in 
which  the  lot  failed  in  testing. 

6.  In  order  to  be  accepted  for  service,  a  lot  must,  at  the 
second  test,  give  such  results  that  the  percentage  of  fail- 
ures on  time  and  percussion  action  obtained  at  the  first 
and  second  firing  shall  not  exceed  in  its  entirety  the  per- 
centage which  was  determined  in  Paragraph  3  for  corre- 


226 


RUSSIAN   COMBINATION   FUSE 


spending  tests.  The  probable  deflections  and  mean  dis- 
tances of  explosion  obtained  at  the  second  test  for  time 
action,  and  in  testing  for  ' 'grape  shot"  action  must  satisfy 
respectively  the  requirements  as  laid  down  in  Paragraph  3. 
7.  A  lot  which  did  not  satisfy  both  tests  will  not  be  sub- 
jected to  any  more  tests,  and  any  further  action  will  depend 
upon  the  military  authorities. 


Machinery 


Fig.     1.     Russian     Combination     Time     and     Percussion     Fuse 
(Vickers    Type) 

Action  of  Fuses  at  Firing.  —  In  setting  the  fuses  it  is 
necessary  to  bear  in  mind  that  each  of  the  130  graduations 
of  the  fuse  corresponds  to  approximately  140  feet  (in  fuses 
for  mountain  artillery  of  the  Russian  1904  model  to  104 
feet)  in  the  change  of  the  firing  distance,  the  same  as  the 
graduations  on  the  sight  of  the  gun.  In  firing,  the  time 
pellet  passes  through  the  safety  bushing,  expanding  the  lat- 
ter, and  falling  with  the  cap  on  the  needle.  The  detonator 


RUSSIAN   COMBINATION  FUSE 


227 


cap  ignites  the  composition  of  the  copper  time  ring  through 
the  vent  in  stem  top  and  the  hole  in  upper  time  ring. 

When  the  fuse  is  set  on  "percussion",  the  transmitting 
opening  of  the  lower  time  ring  and  the  ignition  of  the 
flange  of  the  stem  are  located  opposite  the  intervening 
bridges,  and  the  burning  of  the  upper  time  composition  is 
not  transmitted  into  the  chamber  of  the  fuse.  In  such  a 
case  the  shrapnel  continues  its  movement  until  striking  an 


,H  0.183  L  0.170, 
H  0.866  L  0.858  f7™-r--f|  u  T 


HDS.    PER  INCH  R.  H. 

H  O.SJ16  L  0.512 

B  0.146  L0.13 


OAH    >JH4 =$' 


U0.14L0.134 

2JTHDS.   PER  INCH  R.  H' 
^T^  T^DS.   PER  INCH  R.  H. 


BODY— ALUMINUM 


HOLES      DIA.    X  0.05  DEEP 
2.36  L2.34 


Machinery 


Fig.    2.     Body   of    Russian    Combination    Time    and    Percussion    Fuse 
(Vickers  Type) 

obstacle.  At  this  instant  the  lower  percussion  arrangement, 
releasing  itself  from  the  grip  of  the  lugs  of  the  counter 
safety  catch  and  compressing  the  counter  safety  spring, 
approaches  the  needle,  which  punctures  the  detonating  cap ; 
the  flame  from  the  latter  together  with  the  flame  from  the 
powder  of  the  chamber  bushing  are  transmitted  to  the 
bursting  charge  in  the  shrapnel  shell.  When  the  fuse  is 
set  for  "grape  shot,"  the  transmitting  openings  in  the  time 
rings  and  the  ignition  openings  in  the  flange  of  the  stem 


228 


RUSSIAN  COMBINATION  FUSE 


are  brought  so  close  to  one  another  that  the  bursting  of 
the  shrapnel  must  take  place  on  the  average  not  farther 
than  42  feet  in  front  of  the  muzzle  of  the  gun. 

Russian  Combination  Time  and  Percussion  Fuse — Vickers 
Type.  —  Since  the  outbreak  of  the  present  war,  various 
fuses  have  been  used  on  Russian  shrapnel  shells.  One  of 
the  principal  of  these  fuses  is  the  Vickers  type  of  combi- 
nation time  and  percussion  fuse  shown  assembled  in  Fig.  1, 
and  in  detail  in  Figs.  2,  3,  4,  and  5.  While  the  original 
Russian  fuse  shown  in  Fig.  4,  Chapter  I,  and  described  in 
the  preceding  pages,  has,  up  to  the  present  war,  been  the 
only  fuse  used  in  this  shell,  it  has  largely  been  replaced  by 


^a  H0.20 
TOP   RING— ALUMINUM 


0.1 02          0.035 
.152 
BOTTOM  RING  — ALUMINUM 


Machinery 


Fig.  3. 


Top  and   Bottom  Time   Rings  on   Russian   Combination  Time 
and    Percussion    Fuse    (Vickers  Type) 


other  fuses,  because  of  the  difficulties  experienced  in  manu- 
facturing it.  The  Vickers  type  of  fuse  is  somewhat  easier 
to  manufacture  and,  therefore,  has  been  used  to  some  extent 
on  Russian  shrapnel  shells.  Another  fuse  that  is  now  be- 
ing adapted  to  the  Russian  shrapnel  shell  is  the  American 
combination  time  and  percussion  fuse,  Fig.  3,  Chapter  I, 
which  is  also  of  the  same  type  as  the  British  fuse  described 
in  Chapter  XI.  The  chief  difference  in  design  between  the 


,     ,.  I1.4L1.39 

122L0.12-*)  \^      I* -H  1.618  1 

24THDS.PERINCHR.H. __     14  THDS.PER I NCH  R.H.         CAP. 


TABLET  BOTTOM   RING,  TABLET  TOP  RIN 

INTERPOSED  BETWEEN  VEGETABLE  PAPER  VEGETABLE  PAPER 

CAP  AND  LINEN 


WASHER   BODY 

CLOTH 

THICKNESS   H  0.045 
L  0.035 


WASHER,   BOTTOM   RING, 
VEGETABLE  PAPeR 


WASHER,   BOTTOM   RING, 

CLOTH 

THICKNESS   H  0.0*5 
L  0.035 


DISK. ESCAPE  HOLE. 
TABLET,    FLASH  HOLE  vFf-ETArn  e  PAPER 

IN  TOP  RING,  2  PER  FUSE  DISK'    ESCAPE  HOLE. 

SILK  PAPER  ALUMINUM 

2  PER  FUSE 


STIRRUP  SPRING, 

TIME 
RD-ROLLED  SHEET  BRASS 


Fig.    4.     Details    of    Russian    Combination    Fuse    (Vickers    Type) 


229 


230 


RUSSIAN  COMBINATION  FUSE 


WIRE  0.04  DIA.  (APPROX.) 
4  STRANDS  0.018  DIA. 


END  OF  WIRE  SECURED  IN 

FLANGE  OF  FUSE  BODY 

LENGTH  OF  WIRE-ABOUT  15..5 


A — -H  0.575  L  0.567— 5\ 
FERRULE  — BRASS 


STRIP  SECURING  WIRE 

COTTON  TAPE  CEMENTED 

TO  COVER 


DISK,  SCREW 
PLUG 

PERCUSSION     DISKi  TIME 
PELLET,        DETONATOR, 
PAPER  CARD-BOARD 


Machinery 


Fig.    5. 


Details   of    Russian    Combination    Time    and    Percussion    Fuse 
(Vickers  Type) 


standard  Russian  and  the  Vickers  type  of  combination  time 
and  percussion  fuse  is  in  the  percussion  and  concussion  ar- 
rangements. It  will  be  noticed  in  Figs.  1  to  5,  inclusive,  that 
the  details  of  the  Vickers  fuse  are  much  simpler  to  manu- 
facture. There  is  also  an  absence  of  the  numerous  springs 
in  the  original  Russian  fuse. 


CHAPTER  IX 

SPECIFICATIONS    FOR    THE    MANUFACTURE    AND    IN- 
SPECTION OF  RUSSIAN  3-INCH  SHRAPNEL  AND 
HIGH-EXPLOSIVE   CARTRIDGE   CASES 

The  following  specifications  are  abstracted  from  the  offi- 
cial specifications  for  the  Russian  brass  cartridge  cases  for 
3-inch  shrapnel  and  high-explosive  shells,  and  contain  all 
the  essential  information  relating  to  the  requirements  in 
the  manufacture  and  inspection  of  these  cartridge  cases. 

Clause  1 .  The  Rights  and  Duties  of  the  Inspector.  —  The 
inspector's  duty  consists  not  only  in  acceptance  of  the  cart- 
ridge cases  manufactured,  but  also  in  looking  after  the 
methods  used  in  the  manufacture  of  the  cartridge  cases, 
and  the  brass  used  for  them.  In  order  to  do  this,  the  in- 
spector must  have  the  right  of  access  to  any  work  and  tests 
referring  to  the  cartridge  cases ;  he  must  have  the  right  to 
enter  any  shop  during  any  time  of  the  day  or  night,  where 
the  manufacture  of  the  cartridge  cases  ordered  may  take 
place,  i.  e.,  the  casting  and  rolling  of  the  brass,  drawing, 
annealing,  finishing,  etc. 

If  the  firm  with  whom  the  order  for  the  cartridge  cases 
is  placed  does  not  cast  brass,  but  obtains  it  from  other 
works,  the  inspector  has  the  right  to  visit  these  latter  works 
in  order  to  ascertain  the  quality  of  the  casting  (and  quali- 
ties of  copper  and  zinc) ,  method  of  cutting  the  top  and  bot- 
tom parts  of  castings,  method  of  rolling,  etc.  The  inspector's 
expenses  with  reference  to  his  journey  to  the  brass  works 
in  such  case  must  be  borne  by  the  firm  with  which  the  order 
for  the  cartridge  cases  has  been  placed.  The  minimum 
number  of  the  necessary  journeys  must  be  determined  be- 
fore the  placing  of  the  order. 

The  firm,  which  is  manufacturing  the  cartridge  cases, 
must  have  a  testing  machine  for  the  mechanical  tests  of  the 
metal  used  for  the  cartridge  cases;  it  must  also  possess  a 
microphotographical  laboratory  for  the  brass  (the  power 
of  the  microscope  must  be  at  least  100).  The  firm  must 

231 


232  RUSSIAN   CARTRIDGE   CASE 

furnish  the  inspector  with  the  results  of  all  the  chemical, 
microscopical,  thermal,  mechanical  and  any  other  tests  car- 
ried out  on  the  brass  used  for  the  manufacture  of  cartridge 
cases,  as  well  as  on  cartridge  cases  themselves.  In  addi- 
tion to  this,  the  inspector  must  be  given  the  right  to  use  all 
the  firm's  testing  plant  for  the  above-mentioned  tests.  The 
inspector  must  carry  out  the  specified  tests  mentioned  in 
the  following  for  the  acceptance  of  the  cartridge  cases. 

Independently  of  the  above,  if  the  inspector  thinks  it 
necessary,  for  the  purpose  of  ascertaining  the  qualities  and 
evenness  of  the  material  used  for  the  cartridge  cases,  as 
well  as  the  cartridge  cases  themselves,  to  carry  out  in  addi- 


WEIGHT  OF  CASE  WITHOUT  PRIMER 
NCES         DRAM 

2  9 


H. 12.776"  L.  12.736- 

H.15.168"L.  15.148 


Machinery1 


Russian   3-inch    Cartridge   Case 

tion  some  other  trials,  the  firm  must  provide  him  with  all 
necessary  assistance. 

The  firm  must  place  at  the  sole  disposal  of  the  inspector 
sufficiently  large  dry  and  heated  accommodations  for  carry- 
ing out  his  inspection,  provided  with  cupboards  for  his 
gages;  scales  must  also  be  provided;  the  place  must  be 
lighted  by  electricity,  and  all  necessary  power  for  the  in- 
spection must  be  provided ;  gages ;  and  a  microscope  of  from 
40  to  50  power. 

All  gages  used  for  the  gaging  of  cartridge  cases  must  be 
checked  by  the  inspector  before  the  beginning  of  the  in- 
spection, as  well  as  during  the  inspection.  Before  submit- 
ting the  cartridge  cases  manufactured  to  the  inspector,  the 


RUSSIAN   CARTRIDGE   CASE  233 

works  must  submit  them  to  their  own  examiners.  These 
examiners  must  work  according  to  the  rules  given  them  by 
the  works,  and  prepared  in  conjunction  with  the  inspector. 
The  firm  must  provide  their  examiners  with  a  separate  set 
of  gages  manufactured  similarly  to  those  supplied  to  the 
inspector. 

The  inspector  has  the  right  to  inform  the  management 
of  the  works  of  all  defects  noticed  by  him  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  the  cartridge  cases,  as  well  as  of  those  defects  which 
occur  in  the  cartridge  cases  submitted  for  acceptance.  Fi- 
nally, he  has  the  right  to  suggest  some  improvements  in  the 
manufacture  of  the  cartridge  cases ;  it  is  left  to  the  discre- 
tion of  the  management  of  the  works  to  make  use  of  the 
above  suggestions,  if  it  is  found  advisable  by  them  to  do  so, 
but  the  inspector  has  no  right  whatever  to  interfere  with 
the  orders  issued  by  the  management  of  the  works. 

Clause  2.  Test  Consignment.  —  Before  beginning  the 
manufacture  of  the  order,  the  works  must  submit  a  test 
consignment.  The  cartridge  cases  for  test  consignment 
must  be  manufactured  to  the  approved  drawings,  and  made 
of  brass  according  to  these  specifications.  During  the  manu- 
facture of  the  cartridge  cases,  it  is  required: 

1.  That  the  annealing  of  the  cartridge  cases  shall  be 
regulated  to  prevent  any  over-heating  of  the  metal. 

2.  That  after  the  cartridge  case  is  properly  formed, 
the  upper  half  of  the  case  shall  be  definitely  annealed  at  a 
temperature  not  less  than  400  degrees  C. 

3.  That  the  mechanical  quality  of  the  metal  in  the  manu- 
factured cartridge  case  shall  be  in  accordance  with  these 
specifications.     The  method  of  manufacturing  the  cartridge 
cases,  as  well  as  the  regulation  of  the  annealing  before 
drawing,  is  left  to  the  discretion  of  the  works.     The  test 
consignment  must  be  inspected  and  gaged  by  the  inspector, 
and  then  sent  for  firing  tests.     The  inspector  must  measure, 
on  all  cartridge  cases  in  the  test  consignment,  the  diameter 
of  the  case  near  the  bottom  next  to  the  flange,  at  a  distance 
of  !/2  and  l*/2  inch  from  the  flange. 

After  firing  the  first  round,  all  cartridge  cases  must  be 
inspected  and  measured  on  the  same  diameters  on  which 


234  RUSSIAN   CARTRIDGE  CASE 

they  were  measured  before  firing.  The  cartridge  cases 
showing  the  maximum  increase  of  diameter  are  to  be  re- 
sized after  each  round,  together  with  those  that  are  doubt- 
ful with  regard  to  strength,  if  such  re-sizing  is  allowed 
by  these  specifications.  The  cartridge  cases  spoiled  during 
re-sizing  must  be  replaced  by  new  ones  from  the  same  con- 
signment, but  these  new  cases  must  be  fired  the  same  num- 
ber of  rounds  as  the  old  spoilt  cases. 
The  consignment  will  be  accepted: 

1.  If  all  cartridge  cases  after  firing  are  extracted  with- 
out any  difficulty. 

2.  If  no  case  shows  longitudinal  or  transverse  cracks 
(or  any  other  cracks). 

The  cartridge  cases  which  are  supplied  together  with  shell 
must  be  checked  and  examined  in  order  to  ascertain  whether 
the  shells  are  sufficiently  secured  in  the  case. 

The  test  consignment  of  cartridges  must  be  manufac- 
tured at  the  expense  of  the  works,  but  the  tests  are  carried 
out  at  the  expense  of  the  government. 

In  the  case  of  an  unsatisfactory  test  of  the  first  consign- 
ment, the  works  have  the  right  to  submit  a  second  test 
consignment.  In  the  case  of  unsatisfactory  results  of  the 
tests  of  the  second  consignment,  the  military  administra- 
tion has  the  right  to  cancel  the  contract. 

The  inspector  has  to  weigh  all  cartridge  cases  of  the  test 
consignment,  ascertaining  thus  the  mean  weight.  In  addi- 
tion, the  inspector  must  carry  out  the  following  test  on  the 
cartridge  cases  of  the  test  consignment: 

1.  Chemical  composition  of  brass. 

2.  Mechanical    and    microphotographical    qualities    of 
metal  in  the  manufactured  cartridge  cases. 

3.  The  temperature  of  the  last  annealing,  i.  e.,  the  tem- 
perature of  annealing  before  last  drawing,  temperature  be- 
fore compressing,  and  temperature  of  the  final  annealing 
of  the  finished  cartridge  case. 

The  temperatures  of  annealing  must  be  ascertained  by 
pyrometers.  For  this  purpose  such  pyrometers  as  Ferry 
may  be  used,  in  which  the  temperature  is  ascertained  by 
the  color  of  the  object  heated. 


RUSSIAN   CARTRIDGE   CASE  235 

The  methods  of  manufacture  of  the  order  of  cartridge 
cases  must  be  similar  to  those  used  for  the  manufacture  of 
test  consignment.  In  case  of  any  alterations  in  the  method 
of  manufacture,  the  works  must  inform  the  inspector  to 
that  effect,  and  he  must  report  the  matter  to  the  military 
administration  with  his  opinion  on  the  value  of  such  altera- 
tion in  manufacture.  It  is  left  to  the  discretion  of  the  mili- 
tary administration  to  allow  such  alteration  or  to  demand 
from  the  works  the  delivery  of  a  new  test  consignment. 
A  firm  which  has  already  manufactured  cartridge  cases  of 
certain  type  may  be  released  from  the  delivery  of  a  test 
consignment,  provided  the  methods  of  manufacture  have 
not  been  altered. 

Clause  3.  The  Acceptance  of  the  Brass. —  The  brass 
used  in  the  manufacture  of  cartridge  cases  must  be  of  the 
following  composition : 

Copper   from  67  to  72  per  cent. 

Zinc  from  33  to  28  per  cent. 

The  proportion  of  other  metals  must  not  exceed  0.5  per 
cent,  except  tin,  which  must  not  exceed  0.3  per  cent. 

During  the  manufacture  of  cartridge  cases  in  the  same 
consignment,  the  variation  of  copper  in  the  brass  must 
not  exceed  +  1  per  cent,  or  —  0.5  per  cent  compared  with 
the  usual  composition  used  by  the  works  which  composition 
must  be  given  to  the  inspector  before  the  manufacture  of 
the  test  consignment.  The  method  of  manufacture  of  brass 
is  left  to  the  discretion  of  the  works.  The  only  require- 
ments are  as  follows: 

1.  The  cast  ingots  must  be  annealed  before  first  rolling. 

2.  All  rolling  must  be  carried  out  in  the  same  direction, 
thus  allowing  the  top  end  of  the  casting  always  to  be  distin- 
guishable. 

The  top  or  bottom  portion  of  the  castings  must  not  be 
used  for  the  manufacture  of  cartridge  cases.  They  must 
be  cut  from  the  ingots  by  the  works  manufacturing  the 
brass,  or  the  blanks  for  the  cartridge  cases  must  be  cut  at 
a  certain  distance  from  both  ends  of  the  ingots.  On  receipt 
of  the  brass  ingots,  the  works  manufacturing  the  cartridge 
cases  must  inform  the  inspector  to  that  effect,  giving  him 


236  RUSSIAN   CARTRIDGE   CASE 

the  chemical  analysis  and  the  composition  of  the  casting. 
The  consignment  of  the  brass  must  be  sufficient  for  the 
manufacture  from  it  of  the  whole  consignment  of  the  cart- 
ridge cases.  At  the  works  which  manufacture  the  brass, 
test  bars  must  be  cast  from  the  same  furnace  and  from 
material  of  the  same  quality,  melted  in  a  similar  manner, 
and  stamped  with  the  same  number  as  the  castings.  This 
number  must  be  stamped  at  the  bottom  of  the  cartridge 
case. 

The  brass  used  for  tests  must  be  submitted  to  the  inspec- 
tor in  bars,  and  the  cutting  of  the  test  disks  from  the  bars 
must  be  carried  out  under  the  inspector's  supervision.  A 
few  bars  are  to  be  used  for  the  microscopical  analysis.  The 
bars  of  each  consignment  must  be  stamped  with  a  number, 
which  number  must  be  stamped  afterwards  on  the  blanks 
during  all  the  drawings.  This  number  must  also  be  stamped 
on  the  bottom  of  the  case,  as  mentioned.  These  numbers 
must  be  put  by  the  inspector  in  the  report  together  with 
chemical  analysis  of  metal,  composition  of  casting,  number 
of  rods  delivered,  time  of  delivery,  name  of  brass  foundry 
by  which  the  brass  has  been  supplied  (if  the  manufactur- 
ers do  not  manufacture  brass  themselves),  and  the  num- 
ber of  test  disks  cut.  For  each  consignment  of  cartridge 
cases  manufactured  from  brass  bearing  a  certain  number, 
at  least  one  chemical  analysis  must  be  made.  The  brass 
not  answering  to  the  requirements  of  the  chemical  analysis 
will  be  returned  to  the  manufacturer  for  re-casting. 

To  insure  that  the  amount  cut  off  from  the  top  and  bot- 
tom of  the  rods  is  sufficient,  the  inspector  must  ascertain 
from  the  first  consignment  the  number  of  cartridges  man- 
ufactured, with  defects  inside  as  well  as  outside,  from  (1) 
disks  cut  from  upper  end  of  rod,  (2)  disks  cut  from  roller 
end  of  rod,  and  (3)  disks  cut  from  the  remaining  part  of 
rod.  The  percentage  of  cartridge  cases  with  defects,  in  the 
above-mentioned  three  groups,  must  not  differ  materially 
from  each  other.  The  above-mentioned  tests  must  be  car- 
ried out  from  time  to  time  during  the  manufacture  of  the 
cartridge  cases. 


RUSSIAN   CARTRIDGE   CASE  237 

The  following  methods  can  be  used  to  ascertain  that  the 
ends  of  any  rod  are  cut  off  sufficiently: 

1.  At  the  center  of  the  rod,  cut  a  piece  from  the  top  of 
the  upper  blank;  the  transverse  surface  of  the  piece  must 
be  polished  and  etched  with  a  weak  solution  of  nitric  acid ; 
if  the  piece  cut  off  from  the  top  end  was  not  sufficient,  the 
test  piece  will  show,  in  the  middle,  more  or  less  solid  black 
lines,  inside  of  which,  under  the  microscope,  it  will  be  pos- 
sible to  see  small  microscopical  flaws  and  foreign  substances. 

2.  The  transverse  test  piece  cut  in  the  above-mentioned 
manner  must  be  broken  in  a  testing  machine;  if  the  top 
portion  was  not  sufficiently  cut  off,  the  middle  of  the  piece 
will  show  ruptures  in  the  metal. 

Clause  4.  The  Arrangement  of  the  Cartridge  Cases  in 
Lots.  —  The  cartridge  cases  for  delivery  must  be  arranged 
in  lots.  It  is  desirable  that  the  cartridge  cases  in  each  lot 
should  be  manufactured  from  one  casting  of  brass  metal. 
If  the  lots  are  compiled  from  the  cartridge  cases  of  differ- 
ent castings,  it  will  be  necessary  to  select  cartridge  cases  for 
the  control  test  from  all  the  castings,  and  the  cases  left 
over  from  the  lots  already  tested  and  accepted  may  be 
placed  in  the  new  lots  without  repeated  tests. 

The  dimensions  of  punch  and  die  for  the  last  drawing 
must  be  verified  from  time  to  time.  The  control  of  the  an- 
nealing must  be  carried  out  by  means  of  a  pyrometer.  The 
cartridge  cases  in  each  lot  must  be  inspected  as  follows :  1. 
Outside  inspection.  2.  Inspection  of  dimensions  and 
weight.  3.  Mechanical  test  of  the  metal.  4.  Firing  test. 

Clause  5.  Outside  Inspection.  —  The  cartridge  cases, 
before  submission  for  inspection,  must  be  cleaned  inside  and 
outside  with  sawdust  and  sand,  or  with  brushes.  The  fol- 
lowing defects  usually  occur  in  the  cases. 

1.  Cracks.  Longitudinal  cracks  chiefly  occur  at  a  dis- 
tance of  two  or  three  inches  from  the  flange,  and,  gener- 
ally speaking,  form  two  parallel  lines  very  slightly  notice- 
able on  the  inner  surface.  Transversal  cracks,  slightly  no- 
ticeable, generally  occur  above  the  flange  at  the  bottom ;  they 
are  always  on  the  outside  surface  and  very  seldom  pene- 
trate through.  Cases  with  such  defects  must  be  rejected. 


238  RUSSIAN   CARTRIDGE   CASE 

2.  Ruptures.     These  defects  usually  are  on  the  outer  or 
inner  surface  of  the  cases  and  show  that  something  is 
wrong  with  the  metal ;  cartridge  cases  with  ruptures  are  re- 
jected   without    further    consideration.      Slight    ruptures 
found  in  the  corner  of  the  socket  for  the  primer  do  not  af- 
fect the  strength  of  the  case  and  are,  therefore,  allowed. 

3.  Flaws  and  Fissures.  Cases  submitted  to  the  inspector 
after  being  filed  and  cleaned  on  the  inner  surface  are  re- 
jected.    Cases  with  flaws  and  fissures  on  the  inside  sur- 
face must  be  submitted  to  the  inspector  separately  from  the 
others  and  the  filing  of  them  must  be  carried  out  under  the 
inspector's  supervision.    The  inspector  has  to  determine  to 
what  extent  the  flaws  are  vital.    Special  attention  must  be 
paid  to  the  flaws  on  the  rim  and  on  the  tapered  portion. 

4.  Scratches.     These  are  usually  due  to  the  punch,  or  to 
dirt  which  may  have  been  in  the  punch.     Small  scratches 
do  not  vitally  affect  the  strength  of  the  cases.    Oases  with 
deep  scratches  are  rejected,  especially  if  on  the  inner  side 
of  the  case  a  very  noticeable  mark  is  seen,  extending  to  the 
lower  part  of  the  case. 

5.  Scars.     Small  scars  which  make  the  surface  of  the 
case  dull  are  allowed.  Large  scars  on  the  surface  giving  the 
appearance  of  a  grained  surface  indicate  too  high  a  tem- 
perature in  annealing,  and  cases  with  such  scars  must  be 
rejected. 

6.  Dents.     Dents,  if  rectified,  are  allowed  on  cases  if 
they  are  not  important ;  they  are  not  allowed  on  the  conical 
portion  or  at  the  end  of  the  case. 

7.  Goffering.     Goffering  on  the  inner  surface  of  the  case 
is  usually  due  to  the  uneven  drawing  of  the  metal  in  the 
case  of  very  rigid  material ;  it  is  due  to  defects  in  the  uni- 
formity of  the  material.     Goffering  does  not  appreciably 
affect  the  strength  of  the  cases,  and  therefore  cannot  gener- 
ally be  taken  as  a  reason  for  rejection.    A  large  amount  of 
goffered  cases  shows  that  there  are  some  abnormal  con- 
ditions in  the  manufacturing  of  the  brass  or  the  cases  them- 
selves.    In  such  cases  the  inspector  must  point  this  out  to 
the  works,  and  if  the  works  will  not  take  measures  to  re- 
move these  defects  the  goffered  cases  must  be  rejected. 


RUSSIAN   CARTRIDGE   CASE  239 

8.  Folds.     Folds  of  metal  are  sometimes  noticed  inside 
the  case  at  the  bottom  and  show  bad  manufacture.     Cases 
with  such  defects  are  rejected. 

9.  Other  Small  Defects.     Dents  at  the  bottom,  inside, 
and  other  small  defects  are  allowed  at  the  discretion  of  the 
inspector. 

Clause  6.  Gaging.  —  Cases  which  pass  satisfactory  out- 
side inspection  must  be  gaged  by  means  of  gages  for  maxi- 
mum and  minimum  allowances.  The  dimensions  gaged  are 
as  follows: 

1.  All  outside  diameters  of  the  cases  must  be  gaged  with 
ring  gages  or  half  ring  gages. 

2.  The  inner  diameter  of  the  end  of  the  case  is  gaged 
with  calipers. 

3.  All  outside  dimensions  of  the  bottom  of  the  case  are 
as  follows : 

(a)  Diameters  of  flanges  by  half  ring  gages. 

(b)  Thickness  of  flanges  with  snap  gages. 

(c)  Concentricity  of  the  bottom  of  the  case  by  ring 
gage. 

4.  The  thickness  of  the  bottom  by  special  gage. 

5.  Concentricity  of  the  hole  for  the  primer,  by  special 
gage. 

6.  All  dimensions  of  the  hole  for  the  primer  must  be 
gaged  with  a  set  of  corresponding  gages. 

7.  The  flatness  of  the  surface,  the  absence  of  cuts  and 
hammering  of  the  metal  around  the  hole  for  the  primer  with 
a  straightedge. 

8.  The  outline  and  the  length  by  a  special  gage. 

9.  The  thickness  of  the  walls  is  gaged  by  means  of  a 
snap  gage  with  cut  corresponding  to  the  thickness  of  the 
cartridge  case  at  the  end,  by  a  small  special  gage  with 
pointer  for  ascertaining  the  thickness  of  the  walls  as  well 
as  the  depth  of  the  cleaning  away  in  places  near  the  end 
of  the  case,  and  by  a  special  gage  with  pointer  for  ascer- 
taining the  thickness  of  the  walls  along  the  whole  length  of 
the  case. 

For  the  purpose  of  ascertaining  that  the  outline  of  the 
cases  is  correct,  the  inspector  has  the  right  to  select  0.2  per 


240  RUSSIAN   CARTRIDGE   CASE 

cent  of  the  cases  from  the  lot,  choosing  preferably  from  the 
rejected  cases;  special  attention  must  be  paid  to  the  differ- 
ence in  thickness  of  the  walls  at  the  lower  end  of  the  cases. 
To  ascertain  the  similarity  in  weight,  all  cases  must  be 
,weighed ;  the  difference  from  mean  weight  must  not  exceed 
the  limits  fixed  for  each  caliber  of  the  cases. 

If  during  the  preliminary  examination  of  the  cases  more 
than  15  per  cent  are  found  defective,  as  regards  the  metal 
or  dimensions,  the  inspector  has  the  right  to  stop  the  further 
examination  of  the  cases  submitted,  and  to  ask  the  firm  to 
re-submit  them  again.  If,  after  re-submitting,  and  during 
the  second  examination  of  the  cases,  more  than  5  per  cent 
are  found  unsatisfactory,  the  whole  lot  will  be  rejected. 

Clause  7.  Mechanical  Tests.  —  In  the  following  para- 
graphs are  given  special  conditions  for  the  acceptance  of 
cartridge  cases  for  the  guns  of  different  calibers.  As  a 
general  rule,  the  mechanical  qualities  of  the  metal  used  for 
cartridge  cases  must  comply  with  the  following  conditions : 

1.  The  rigidity  of  the  bottom  and  the  lower  end  of  the 
cases  must  be  sufficient  to  insure  the  proper  extraction  of 
the  cases. 

2.  The  rigidity  of  the  end  of  the  cartridge  must  insure 
the  proper  grip  of  the  shell,  and  for  the  howitzer  cases  must 
not  show  any  dents  on  the  metal. 

3.  The  rigidity  of  the  metal  along  the  whole  length  of 
the  case  must  change  evenly,  without  sudden  changes. 

During  the  manufacture  of  the  cases,  care  should  be  taken 
to  work  the  metal  as  near  as  possible  to  the  lower  limits  of 
the  rigidity  of  the  metal,  as  any  extra  rigidity  affects  the 
strength  of  the  case  during  firing  and  in  storage. 

The  mechanical  qualities  of  the  cases  must,  as  far  as  pos- 
sible, be  alike;  they  are  tested  (a)  by  a  breaking  test  of  the 
metal  used  for  the  cases ;  (b)  by  ascertaining  that  the  shell 
is  fixed  properly  in  the  case  (a  casting  may  be  used  for 
this  purpose  manufactured  to  the  dimensions  and  the  weight 
of  the  proper  shell)  ;  (c)  microscopical  analysis  of  the 
metal;  and  (d)  any  other  methods  at  the  discretion  of  the 
inspector,  as,  for  instance,  by  ascertaining  the  hardness  of 
the  metal,  compression  of  the  mouth  of  the  case,  etc. 


RUSSIAN   CARTRIDGE   CASE  241 

For  the  tensile  test  the  inspector  selects  from  each  lot 
about  five  cases  rejected  on  account  of  the  dimensions ;  these 
are  cut  in  halves  for  the  purpose  of  ascertaining  the  thick- 
ness of  the  walls.  The  number  of  cases  used  for  mechanical 
tests  may  be  increased  by  the  inspector  if  it  is  required  by 
the  quality  of  the  material.  From  each  case  selected  for 
the  mechanical  test,  three  rings  must  be  cut,  one  inch  wide ; 
one  next  to  the  flange,  iy%  inch  above  it;  one  from  the  mid- 
dle of  the  mouth;  and  one  immediately  under  the  conical 
portion,  if  such  portion  exists ;  otherwise  from  the  middle  of 
the  case.  The  rings  cut  in  the  above  manner  must  be  cut 
longitudinally  and  straightened  by  delicate  hammering  with 
a  wooden  mallet  or  by  rolling  between  wooden  rollers.  From 
each  strip  obtained  in  such  manner  two  test  pieces  must  be 
cut  with  a  distance  between  marks  of  1.97  inch  (50  milli- 
meters). The  width  of  the  test  pieces  must  be  the  same. 
Ten  division  marks  must  be  made  on  the  test  pieces,  each 
division  being  0.197  inch  (5  millimeters).  During  the 
mechanical  test,  the  following  data  must  be  ascertained: 
Breaking  stress,  total  elongation,  and  local  elongation  be- 
tween all  division  marks. 

Clause  8.  Firing  Proof. —  After  the  examination  of  the 
whole  consignment,  the  inspector  selects  some  cases  for 
proof  by  firing.  The  inspector  chooses  for  the  firing  trials 
those  cases  which  he  considers  the  least  satisfactory.  The 
works  have  the  right  to  re-examine  the  cases  selected  by  the 
inspector  for  firing,  and  remove  any  case  selected  by  the 
inspector ;  but,  in  such  an  instance,  all  cases  with  similar  de- 
fects are  to  be  rejected,  and  the  inspector  replaces  the  cases 
removed  by  the  firm.  The  works  have  not  the  right  to  re- 
move the  cases  selected  in  the  above  manner  more  than  twice 
for  each  consignment.  The  firing  proof  of  the  cases  must  be 
carried  out  at  any  place  selected  by  the  artillery  administra- 
tion, where  the  cases  must  be  delivered  by  the  works. 

The  firing  proof  must  be  carried  out  in  a  similar  manner 
to  the  test  consignment,  and  the  submitted  consignment  is 
accepted : 

1.  If  all  cartridge  cases  after  firing  are  extracted  with- 
out any  difficulty. 


242  RUSSIAN   CARTRIDGE   CASE 

2.  If  no  case  shows  longitudinal,  transversal  or  any 
other  cracks,  or  ruptures  of  metal. 

If  during  the  firing  trials  one  case  shows  a  crack  or  is 
difficult  to  extract,  the  works  have  the  right  to  review  the 
consignment  and  submit  for  the  firing  trials  a  second  set 
chosen  by  the  inspector.  In  such  instances,  the  works  have 
no  right  to  remove  any  case  selected  by  the  inspector  for 
secondary  proof ;  the  number  of  cases  selected  for  secondary 
proof  as  well  as  the  number  of  proof  rounds  fired  may  be 
increased.  For  the  acceptance  of  the  consignment,  all  cases 
must  give  satisfactory  results  in  the  second  firing  test.  If 
the  two  consecutive  firing  proofs  will  give  unsatisfactory 
results,  the  artillery  administration  has  the  right  to  cancel 
the  contract.  The  firing  proof  is  carried  out  at  the  expense 
of  the  government,  and  the  cases  normally  used  are  counted 
as  part  of  the  consignment.  The  fired  cases,  after  re-sizing, 
annealing  and  inspection,  are  submitted  by  the  works  to  the 
inspector,  and  afterwards  they  must  be  packed  in  separate 
boxes. 

The  cases  required  for  secondary  proof  must  be  at  the 
expense  of  the  manufacturer. 

Clause  9.  Varnishing.  —  In  case  of  satisfactory  results 
of  firing  proof,  the  works  varnish  the  cases  inside  as  well 
as  outside.  The  varnish  must  be  used  evenly.  When 
scratched  with  a  wooden  point  or  with  the  finger  nail,  the 
varnished  surface  must  not  show  any  impression;  when 
scratched  with  a  metallic  point  the  varnish  must  not  crum- 
ple, and  must  not  show  any  cross  cracks.  The  varnish  on 
the  cases  must  not  alter  its  appearance  if  placed  for  twenty- 
four  hours  in  water,  and  after  removal  from  the  water  and 
again  dry,  it  must  adhere  so  firmly  as  not  to  be  removable 
under  pressure  of  the  finger. 

The  specific  gravity  of  the  varnish  must  be  from  0.9  to 
0.94.  Brass  strips  covered  with  the  varnish  must  not  show 
any  oxidizing  action.  After  the  heating  of  the  varnished 
strips  during  24  hours  in  the  water  bath  at  a  temperature 
of  167  degrees  F.,  the  varnish,  when  heated,  must  not  peel 
off.  For  the  purpose  of  ascertaining  the  character  of  the 
reaction  of  the  varnish,  10  cubic  centimeters  (0.61  cubic 


RUSSIAN  CARTRIDGE  CASE  243 

inches)  of  solvent  must  be  distilled  from  100  cubic  centi- 
meters (6.1  cubic  inches)  of  the  varnish,  and  the  solvent 
obtained  in  this  manner,  when  mixed  with  a  weak  solution 
of  litmus,  must  not  give  an  acid  reaction. 

Clause  10.  Stamping.  —  The  cases  must  be  stamped  as 
follows:  On  the  top,  the  number  of  the  consignment  of 
brass ;  at  the  left,  number  of  the  consignment  of  the  cases 
and  the  year  of  manufacture;  on  the  right,  the  firm's  in- 
itials ;  at  the  bottom,  the  inspector's  stamp,  which  must  be 
placed  after  the  inspection,  and  the  stamp  which  means  ac- 
cepted and  which  must  be  placed  after  the  firing  proof.  The 
letters  and  figures  must  not  exceed  Vs  inch  in  height. 

Clause  11.  Packing. —  The  cases,  after  being  wrapped 
in  paper,  are  covered  with  straw  caps  and  packed  in  strong 
wooden  boxes.  These  must  be  dovetailed  from  pine  or  fir 
wood,  with  rope  handles  and  iron  bands.  The  lids  must  be 
fixed  with  screws.  The  works  have  to  pack  the  cases  to 
the  satisfaction  of  the  inspector.  To  ascertain  the  accuracy 
of  packing,  the  inspector  turns  over  one  of  the  boxes 
chosen,  and  after  that  the  case  must  not  show  any  dents 
or  any  noticeable  damage  to  the  varnish  on  the  cases.  Fifty 
cases  are  packed  in  each  box. 

The  boxes  must  have  the  following  marking: 

Accepted  Cases:  Fired  Cases: 

Caliber  of  Cases  Caliber  of  Cases 

Name  of  Works  Name  of  Works 

Year  of  Manufacture  Year  of  Manufacture 

Number  of  Cases  in  Lot         Number  of  Cases  in  Lot 
Number  of  Consignment         Fired,  but  Good  for  Use 

Number  of  Consignment 

Condition  for  Acceptance  of  Cartridge  Cases  for  3-inch 
Field  Guns.  —  The  test  consignment  must  consist  of  fifty 
cartridge  cases.  The  proof  must  be  carried  out  from  the 
gun  with  pressure  of  about  15.75  tons  per  square  inch  (2400 
atmospheres).  Ten  cases  are  selected  from  those  showing 
the  maximum  increase  of  diameter  and  are  used  for  re- 
charging; they  must  be  re-annealed  after  each  round;  all 
doubtful  cases  must  be  added  to  the  above-mentioned  cases. 
Each  of  these  cases  must  stand  eight  rounds. 


244  RUSSIAN   CARTRIDGE   CASE 

The  gaging  must  be  carried  out  as  follows : 

Dimensions  in   Inches 
Normal          Reject 

1.  Diameter  of  the  case  near  bottom,  gaged  with 

half  ring  gages    3.294         3.286 

2.  Diameter  of  flange,  gaged  with  half  ring  gages        3.547         3.539 

3.  The  outside  diameter  of  the  end,  gaged  with 

half  ring  gages,  and  with  gage  inserted  in 

the  case    3.004         3.000 

4.  The  inner  diameter  of  the  case 2.923         2.9?7 

5.  The  thickness  of  the  flange 0.142         0.134 

6.  The    thickness    of    the    bottom,    gaged    with 

special    gage    .  0.157  $+0030 

"j— 0.010 

7.  The  concentricity  of  the  hole  for  the  primer  must  be  gaged  with 

special  gage. 

8.  The  concentricity  of  the  flange  with  reference  to  the  body  must 

be  gaged  with  half  ring  gage,  the  dimensions  of  which  must  be 
as  follows: 

(a)  Maximum  diameter  of  flange. 

(b)  Maximum   diameter  of  the  case   at  bottom. 

(c)  Maximum  thickness  of  the  flange. 

9.  The  outline  and  the  length  of  the  case  must  be  checked  by  special 

chamber  gage.     The  allowance  for  length  must  be  ±  0.010  inch. 

10.  The  gaging  of  the  hole  for  the  primer  is  carried  out  by  the  fol- 

lowing gages: 

(a)  Screw  gages,  normal  and  reject. 

(b)  Normal   gage   which   is   used   for  the   gaging   of  the   whole 

diameter  and  the  depth  of  the  hole  for  the  primer,  normal 
and  reject. 

(c)  Reject  gage  for  the  flange  of  the  primer. 

(d)  Reject  gage   for  the   thread. 

(e)  Reject  gage  for  the  plain  surface  of  the  hole. 

(f)  Normal  and  reject  gages  for  the  thickness  of  the  hole  for  the 

flange  of  the  primer. 

(g)  Normal  and  reject  gage  for  the  depth  of  the  plain  portion  of 

the  hole, 
(k)     Gage  for  the  ignition  hole. 

11.  Normal  and  reject  gage  for  the  height  of  the  boss  for  the  primer. 

12.  Gages,  compasses  and  special  gages  for  the  thickness  of  the  walls 

and  for  the  depth  of  filing  of  the  inner  as  well  as  the  outer 
surfaces. 

13.  Straightedge  for  gaging  the  bottom  surface  of  the  case. 

The  difference  in  the  weight  of  cases  from  mean  weight 
must  not  exceed  ±  3  ounces. 

The  test  pieces  subjected  to  the  tensile  test  must  show 
the  following  breaking  stress: 

(a)  At  the  ends,  48,000  to  57,000  pounds  per  square 
inch,  with  local  elongation  not  less  than  60  per  cent. 

(b)  Next  to  the  flange,  from  64,000  to  85,000  pounds 
per  square  inch. 

(c)  Next  to  the  conical  portion,  not  less  than  52,500 
pounds  per  square  inch. 


RUSSIAN   CARTRIDGE   CASE  245 

Firing  Trial. — :For  the  firing  trials,  thirty  cartridge 
cases  must  be  selected.  These  cases  must  be  measured  and 
must  pass  a  similar  test  to  that  of  the  test  consignment, 
with  the  following  exceptions. 

1.  Only  five  cases  are  taken  for  re-proving,  including 
cases  showing  the  maximum  expansion,  and  those  doubtful 
with  reference  to  their  strength. 

2.  The  cases  are  to  be  fired  five  times. 

During  the  firing  of  the  secondary  proofs,  as  well  as  dur- 
ing the  firing  of  the  cases  selected  from  the  lots  entirely 
consisting  of  the  defective  cases,  the  number  of  cases  as 
well  as  the  number  of  re-tests  may  be  increased  to  the  num- 
ber fixed  for  the  test  consignment. 

Specifications  for  Primers.  —  The  charge  primer  consists 
of  brass  body,  detonator,  bush,  brass  anvil,  a  charge  of 
gun  powder  (not  polished  with  graphite) ,  a  disk  of  saltpe- 
ter-soaked tissue  paper,  four  powder  cakes,  disk  of  salt- 
peter-soaked muslin,  disk  of  parchment,  and  a  brass  disk 
bored  in  the  center  and  coated  outside  with  thick  shellac 
varnish  mixed  with  cinnabar. 

Detonator.  —  The  detonator  consists  of  a  small  copper 
cap  containing  a  charge  of  0.275  grain  of  the  detonator 
composition,  covered  by  a  thin  paper  parchment  disk  and 
compressed  with  a  pressure  of  125  pounds.  The  thickness  of 
the  parchment  is  between  0.002  and  0.0025  inch.  The  sur- 
face of  the  parchment  facing  the  composition  is  coated  by 
a  thin  layer  of  fluid  shellac  varnish  composed  as  follows: 
15.12  gallons  of  95  per  cent  alcohol  and  20  pounds  of  shellac. 

The  detonator  composition  contains  50  per  cent  fulminate 
of  mercury,  20  per  cent  chlorate  of  potassium  and  30  per 
cent  glass  ground  to  dust  and  sifted  through  a  sieve  No.  100 
(100  meshes  to  1  inch).  To  this  mixture  is  added  0.25  per 
cent  of  tragacanth  gum  and  a  trace  of  gum  arabic.  The  com- 
position is  placed  in  the  cap  while  moist.  After  compres- 
sion the  detonator  is  dried  for  ten  days  at  a  temperature  of 
88  degrees  F.,  and  twenty  days  at  111  degrees  F.  Then  the 
exterior  surface  of  the  parchment  disks  is  coated  with  a 
thick  varnish  composed  of  0.891  gallon  of  95  per  cent  alco- 
hol, 2.75  pounds  of  shellac,  and  0.5  pound  of  resin.  The 


246  RUSSIAN   CARTRIDGE   CASE 

varnished  detonators  are  dried  at  room  temperature  for  five 
or  six  days,  and  then  undergo  a  final  examination,  in  which 
the  defective  caps  will  be  rejected.  The  caps,  when  ready, 
must  have  even  wedges,  no  rents,  cracks,  dents  or  such  like 
defects,  and  the  parchment  disks  must  be  placed  concentric 
with  the  edges  of  the  caps. 

Out  of  a  lot  representing  a  day's  output  (about  from 
10,000  to  15,000)  of  detonators,  twenty-five  are  set  aside 
without  selection,  for  testing  under  a  drop  weight  of  13.65 
ounces,  falling  from  a  height  of  3.94  inches.  These  must 
not  show  a  single  failure.  If  a  day's  output  of  detonators 
does  not  answer  that  condition,  it  undergoes,  after  a  sup- 
plementary drying,  a  second  test  in  double  quantity.  Any 
lot  of  detonators  that  does  not  stand  this  test  will  be  re- 
jected and  burnt  out. 

The  tissue  paper  and  muslin  disks  are  soaked  with  a  10 
per  cent  solution  of  saltpeter.  The  powder  cakes  are  com- 
pressed gun  powder,  not  polished  with  graphite,  and  have  a 
diameter  of  0.748  inch,  a  height  of  about  0.120  inch,  and 
weigh  from  21.95  to  23.32  grains  each. 

Charging  Primers. — The  charging  of  primers  is  preceded 
by  the  examination  of  their  bodies  and  other  parts.  The 
charging  is  done  in  the  following  order :  The  detonator  is 
placed  in  the  bush  which  is  screwed  onto  the  end  into  its 
seat  and  then  nipped  in  two  places  in  order  to  prevent  its 
becoming  unscrewed.  The  anvil  is  then  screwed  into  its 
seat,  so  as  to  press  tightly  on  the  detonator  composition, 
without,  however,  cutting  the  parchment  disk.  To  inspect 
the  proper  screwing  in  of  the  anvils,  30  primers  are  set 
aside  out  of  every  300,  and  from  those  the  anvils  are  screwed 
out  and  the  detonators  examined.  The  parchment  disks 
must  bear  clear  marks  of  the  anvils,  without  being  cut 
through. 

In  properly  fitted  primers  the  anvils  are  prevented  from 
becoming  unscrewed  by  nipping  them  in  two  places.  A 
charge  of  from  10.286  to  10.972  grains  of  powder  is  placed 
in  the  groove  between  the  hose  and  the  internal  surface  of 
the  body  of  the  primer.  This  charge  must  fill  the  groove 
to  the  brim.  The  powder  is  now  covered  with  the  disk  of 


RUSSIAN   CARTRIDGE   CASE  247 

tissue  paper  soaked  in  saltpeter.  On  the  top  of  it  will  be 
placed  four  powder  cakes,  which  will  be  covered  first  with 
a  disk  of  saltpeter-soaked  muslin,  then  with  a  parchment 
disk  and  lastly  with  a  brass  disk  bored  in  the  center,  after 
which  the  upper  edge  of  the  primer  is  closed  in,  this  opera- 
tion being  carried  out  in  three  stages.  After  the  first  press- 
ing, a  proper  position  is  given  to  the  disks  inside  the  primer ; 
after  the  third  (final)  pressing  the  primer  is  to  be  gaged. 
The  upper  side  of  the  brass  and  parchment  disks  is  var- 
nished with  thick  shellac  mixed  with  cinnabar. 

After  having  been  dried  in  the  shop  for  24  hours,  the 
primers  are  packed  in  cardboard  boxes.  Two  such  boxes, 
(50  primers  in  each)  are  sealed  hermetically  in  zinc  boxes. 
The  proper  hermetic  soldering  of  some  boxes  chosen  at 
random  will  be  tested.  Eight  zinc  boxes  are  packed  in 
one  wooden  box,  which  will  thus  contain  400  primers. 

Inspection  of  Primers.  —  Bodies  and  other  details  will  be 
manufactured  of  brass,  the  composition  of  which  will  be 
left  to  the  discretion  of  the  works,  but  on  the  express  con- 
dition that  the  primers  will  comply  with  all  requirements 
stipulated.  The  best  results  have  been  obtained  when  the 
metal  contained  from  67  to  74  per  cent  of  copper,  and  from 
33  to  26  per  cent  of  zinc. 

Before  beginning  the  manufacture  of  the  order,  the 
works  with  which  the  order  will  be  placed  must  deliver 
a  test  consignment  consisting  of  100  primers.  The  test 
consignment  of  primers  after  being  charged  must  be  sub- 
jected to  a  firing  trial.  The  conditions  of  this  trial  are 
similar  to  those  used  for  the  trials  of  the  complete  order. 
The  order  must  be  submitted  in  lots  of  25,000  each. 

The  gaging  of  dimensions  at  the  works  manufacturing 
the  primers  must  be  carried  out  after  each  separate  opera- 
tion of  manufacture,  for  which  approved  gages  and  control 
gages  must  be  used.  All  the  gages  must  be  manufactured 
by  the  works,  with  which  the  order  for  the  primers  is 
placed,  with  the  exception  of  the  gage  nut  used  for  the  gag- 
ing of  the  outer  thread  and  the  check  screw  for  same.  The 
last  mentioned  gages  must  be  handed  over  to  the  primer 
works  by  the  proper  authorities. 


248  RUSSIAN   CARTRIDGE   CASE 

The  primers,  before  being  charged,  will  be  assembled  at 
the  works  which  manufacture  them,  i.  e.,  bushes  and  anvils 
are  screwed  in,  and  the  primers  are  delivered  to  the  explo- 
sive works  in  such  condition.  After  the  completion  of  the 
manufacture  of  a  lot  of  25,000  primers,  1000  of  them,  chosen 
at  random  during  the  manufacture,  will  be  sent  to  the  ex- 
plosive works  for  inspection,  for  testing  the  rigidity  of  the 
metal,  and  for  preliminary  tests  of  the  metal  by  firing. 

If,  during  the  trial  for  the  rigidity  of  the  metal  carried 
out  by  the  compression  of  50  primers  chosen  at  random, 
more  than  5  per  cent  show  ruptures,  the  complete  lot  of  1000 
primers  will  be  returned  to  the  manufacturers. 

In  the  case  of  satisfactory  results  of  firing  trials,  the 
remaining  24,000  primers  will  be  delivered  to  the  works 
intrusted  with  the  charging. 

If,  after  partial  examination  of  a  lot  (not  less  than  1000 
primers),  more  than  10  per  cent  of  primers  will  be  rejected 
in  accordance  with  the  following  two  paragraphs,  the 
further  inspection  will  be  stopped  at  the  charging  works, 
and  the  whole  lot  will  be  returned  for  resorting. 

When  inspecting  primers,  the  following  defects  are  not 
allowed :  ruptures,  blow-holes,  fissures,  flaws,  sandy  surface, 
dirt,  oil,  dust,  shavings,  dents  on  the  bottom  surface  of  the 
flange,  dents  at  the  bottom  of  the  charge  chamber,  and  con- 
siderable crumbling  of  threads  (more  than  one-fourth  of  a 
thread) .  The  examination  of  the  bottom  surface  for  even- 
ness must  be  carried  out  by  spinning  the  primers  on  a  pol- 
ished steel  plate.  The  primers  which  will  not  spin  must  be 
rejected. 

The  primer  chambers  must  be  varnished.  The  anvils 
must  not  show  any  flaws  and  fissures  at  their  striking  edge 
and  at  the  threads.  The  striking  edge  must  not  be  sharp, 
to  prevent  the  cutting  through  of  the  parchment  disks  of 
the  detonator;  generally  speaking,  the  anvil  and  the  bush 
must  also  answer  all  the  requirements  of  the  preceding 
paragraph. 

Gaging.  —  One  hundred  primers  complete  from  each  lot 
must  be  gaged.  Special  attention  must  be  paid  to  the  fol- 
lowing points : 


RUSSIAN    CARTRIDGE   CASE  249 

(a)  All  primers  to  be  screwed  into  gage  without  being 
specially  loose. 

(b)  The  thickness  and  the  outer  diameter  of  the  primer 
head  must  not  exceed  the  specified  maximum  dimensions, 
thus  securing  the  proper  fit  of  the  primer  flange  in  its  seat 
in  the  cartridge  case. 

(c)  The  height  of  the  boss  inside  the  primer  must  be 
strictly  in  accordance  with  the  allowance  given. 

(d)  The  inner  thread  of  the  boss  must  be  strictly  in 
accordance  with  the  gage. 

(e)  The  seat  for  the  detonator  and  the  hole  in  the  bush 
must  be  correct  and  in  accordance  with  the  gage. 

(f)  The  thickness  of  the  bottom  of  primer   (0.067  to 
0.077  inch)  must  be  in  accordance  with  the  gage. 

The  anvils  and  bushes  must  screw  and  unscrew  easily, 
without  being  loose  and  must  be  interchangeable.  After 
charging,  all  primers  will  be  inspected  with  regard  to  their 
height,  and  gaged  outside.  In  case  of  unsatisfactory  results 
in  gaging  (rejected  primers  exceeding  3  per  cent)  an  addi- 
tional 100  primers  must  be  chosen  for  the  same  purpose,  and 
in  case  the  results  are  the  same,  the  whole  lot  will  be  re- 
turned to  the  works  manufacturing  the  primers  for  re- 
sorting. 

Firing  Trials. —  Fifty  primers  out  of  1000  delivered  from 
a  lot  of  25,000,  after  being  charged,  are  tested  with  refer- 
ence to  the  quality  of  the  metal,  by  firing  with  increased 
charge  at  a  pressure  of  2400  atmospheres  (15.75  tons  per 
square  inch).  These  primers,  after  the  test,  should  not 
show  any  breakage  (after  being  unscrewed)  through  cracks 
and  flaws,  the  presence  of  which  would  mean  that  the  gas 
escaped  through  the  base  of  the  primers.  The  escape  of 
gases  leaving  a  residue  between  the  side  surfaces  of  the 
primer  flanges  and  their  seating  is  allowed  on  not  more 
than  30  per  cent  of  the  primers  subjected  to  firing  test 
from  new  'cartridge  cases;  in  the  case  of  using  fired  cart- 
ridge cases,  no  attention  must  be  paid  to  the  presence  of  the 
above-mentioned  residue. 

Non-through  cracks  are  allowed  on  not  more  than  2  per 
cent  of  tested  primers;  in  the  case  of  a  larger  percentage, 


250  RUSSIAN   CARTRIDGE   CASE 

but  not  exceeding  4  per  cent,  the  whole  lot  must  be  resorted 
and  retested.  The  recurrence  of  2  per  cent  of  non-through 
cracks  in  the  second  test  may  not  be  taken  as  a  reason  for 
the  rejection  of  the  whole  lot;  50  primers  must  be  used  for 
the  second  test.  In  the  case  of  the  absence  of  above-men- 
tioned defects,  only  those  primers  will  be  considered  satis- 
factory which,  after  firing,  can  be  removed  from  the  cart- 
ridge case  by  hand  or  by  an  ordinary  spanner. 

The  serviceableness  of  the  primers  is  determined  by  firing 
50  primers  chosen  at  random  from  the  complete  lot  of 
25,000  charged  primers.  The  conditions  just  laid  down 
hold  good  for  this  trial  also.  In  addition  to  this,  no  com- 
plete misfire  must  occur;  not  more  than  two  primers  may 
misfire  once  each,  with  lock  in  proper  order.  (Before  firing, 
the  tension  of  the  main  spring  and  the  protrusion  of  the 
firing  pin  must  be  verified.)  A  second  test  may  be  carried 
out  if  during  the  preliminary  test  defects  occur.  The  sec- 
ond test  must  be  carried  out  on  double  the  number  of 
primers  taken  at  random,  i.  e.,  on  100  primers.  During 
second  test  the  same  conditions  as  laid  down  for  the  first 
test  hold  good.  Primers  passing  successfully  the  first  or 
second  firing  tests  are  accepted  for  the  service.  A  lot  of 
charged  rejected  primers  must  be  destroyed  and  the  metal 
scrapped. 

In  addition  to  the  firing  tests,  the  following  test  must 
be  carried  out  by  the  works  intrusted  with  the  charg- 
ing of  primers  to  determine  the  correctness  of  charging: 
1.  One  per  cent  of  a  day's  output  must  be  tested  under  a 
drop  weight  of  five  pounds  falling  from  a  height  of  0.39 
inch  with  flat  firing  pin  0.25  inch  in  diameter ;  during  this 
test  no  primer  must  detonate.  Primers  having  passed  this 
test  and  not  showing  any  noticeable  mark  on  the  base  must 
be  recharged  and  added  to  the  lot.  2.  When  testing  0.5 
per  cent  of  each  day's  output  under  a  drop  weight  of  five 
pounds,  falling  from  a  height  of  5.9  inches,  with  firing  pin 
of  an  approved  pattern,  no  primer  must  fail  to  explode. 


CHAPTER  X 

SPECIFICATIONS  FOR  BRITISH  18-POUNDER 
QUICK-FIRING   SHRAPNEL   SHELL 

The  following  paragraphs,  abstracted  from  the  official 
specifications,  give  all  the  information  contained  in  these 
specifications  relating  to  the  manufacture  and  inspection  of 
the  British  18-pounder,  quick-firing  shrapnel  shell. 

Body. —  The  body  of  the  shell  is  made  of  cast  or  forged 
steel  of  the  best  quality  for  the  purpose,  turned  or  ground 
to  the  form  and  dimensions,  and  having  the  edge  of  the 
base  rounded.  If  made  of  cast  steel,  the  casting  must  be 
clean,  of  uniform  transverse  thickness,  free  from  flaws,, 
blow-holes,  and  other  defects.  The  use  of  chaplets  is  pro- 
hibited. If  made  of  forged  steel,  the  body  must  be  forged 
hollow,  and  free  from  forging  marks  and  flaws.  Should  the 
shells  be  subjected  to  heat-treatment,  this  must  be  carried 
out  in  batches  consisting  of  shells  of  the  same  cast.  An 
undercut  groove,  with  two  projecting  waved  ribs,  will  be 
turned  on  the  body.  Three  chisel  cuts  may  be  made  across 
the  waved  ribs  in  the  groove  for  the  driving  band,  at  an 
angle  to  the  longitudinal  axis  of  the  projectile  to  allow  the 
air  in  the  channels  between  the  ribs  to  escape  when  the  band 
is  being  pressed  on.  The  top  is  threaded  to  receive  the 
socket,  and  a  groove  for  the  fuse  cover  provided.  The  steel 
body  alone  must  weigh  6  pounds  5  ounces  12  drams,  plus  or 
minus  2  ounces. 

Driving  Band.  —  The  driving  band  is  made  from  a  ring 
of  drawn  or  electro-deposited  copper,  pressed  into,  and  in 
contact  with,  the  bottom  and  undercut  of  the  groove  in  the 
shell  all  around,  and  accurately  turned  to  the  form  required. 
The  weight  must  be  4  ounces  12  drams,  plus  or  minus  2 
ounces. 

Socket.  —  The  socket  is  made  of  composition  metal, 
known  as  Class  "C,"  threaded  externally  below  the  shoulder 
to  fit  the  body,  and  internally  to  receive  the  fuse,  the  bottom 
being  bored  to  receive  the  top  of  the  central  tube.  The 

251 


252 


BRITISH   SHRAPNEL  SHELL 


junction  of  the  socket  and  central  tube  is  soldered  to  pre- 
vent the  resin  getting  into  the  tube  and  socket.  A  hole  is  to 
be  bored  in  the  side,  threaded  and  fitted  with  a  steel  fixing 
screw.  The  weight  must  be  8  ounces  8  drams. 

Central  Tube.  —  The  central  tube  may  be  made  of  brass, 
copper,  delta  metal,  or  gun  metal.     The  lower  end  is  to  have 


REMOVE  SHARP 

INNER  E 
OF  SCREW  HOLE 


SOLDER  JUNCTION 

BETWEEN  SOCKET 

AND  CENTRAL  TUBE 

TUBE  TO  BE  FLUSH 

WITH  BOTTOM  OF 

FUSE  SOCKET 


RESIN 


Machinery 


Fig.    1.     Construction    of    British    18-pounder    Quick-firing 
Shrapnel   Shell 

a  shoulder  to  rest  on,  and  to  be  threaded  to  enter  the  steel 
disk,  the  bottom  being  reduced  in  diameter  to  fit  the  neck 
of  the  cup.  Weight,  2  ounces  12  drams. 

Steel  Disk.  —  A  steel  disk,  of  the  form  shown  in  Fig.  2, 
will  rest  on  the  shoulder  in  the  bottom  of  the  body,  a  hole 


BRITISH   SHRAPNEL  SHELL  253 

being  bored  and  threaded  through  the  center  of  the  disk 
to  receive  the  central  tube.  Weight,  9  ounces  8  drams. 

Tin  Cup. —  The  cup  in  the  base  of  the  shell  to  contain 
the  bursting  charge  will  be  made  of  tinned  plate  to  the  form 
and  dimensions  shown  in  Fig.  2,  the  parts  being  soldered 
together.  Weight,  1  ounce  12  drams. 

Gages.  — Contractors  may  send  their  gages  at  any  time 
to  the  chief  inspector,  Woolwich  Arsenal,  London,  England, 
to  be  checked  and  compared  with  the  standard  gages. 

Screw  Threads — The  screw  threads  must,  unless  other- 
wise stated,  be  of  "the  British  standard  fine  screw  thread, 
and  conform  to  the  chief  inspector's  standard  gages. 

Preliminary  Examination  of  Contractor's  Work.  — The 
bodies,  after  completion  of  machining,  will  be  submitted  at 
the  contractor's  works,  to  an  inspector,  for  preliminary  ex- 
amination. Bodies  made  of  cast  steel  must  also  be  submitted 
for  a  hydraulic  test  under  a  pressure  of  100  pounds  per 
square  inch.  Any  shell  which  shows  the  slightest  leak,  or 
fails  to  satisfy  the  conditions,  will  be  rejected. 

Assembling.  —  The  tin  cup,  steel  disk,  and  central  tube 
are  to  be  placed  in  position  and  the  shell  filled  with  mixed 
metal  bullets,  41  per  pound  (composed  of  seven  parts  of  lead 
and  one  of  antimony),  the  interstices  between  the  bullets 
being  filled  with  resin,  which  must  be  perfectly  pure,  and 
filtered  when  in  a  liquid  state  through  a  sieve  having  32 
meshes  per  inch.  The  socket  is  then  screwed  onto  the  body 
as  tightly  as  possible,  the  threads  having  been  previously 
coated  with  Pettman's  cement  or  red  lead. 

Marking  and  Plugs.  —  The  shells  are  to  be  marked  on  the 
side,  above  the  driving  band.  Plugs  for  the  protection  of 
the  fuse  holes  in  transit  will  be  supplied,  free  of  charge, 
on  demand,  by  the  ordnance  officer  to  whom  delivery  is  to 
be  made. 

Delivery. —  (a).  The  shells  will  be  covered  with  a  thin 
coating  of  vaseline  or  other  similar  anti-corrosive  grease, 
which  must  be  of  such  a  nature  as  not  to  interfere  with  the 
gaging,  and  they  will  then  be  delivered  unpainted,  for  in- 
spection and  proof.  The  shells  must  be  perfectly  cleaned 
out,  empty,  complete  in  every  respect,  and  dry  internally. 


254  BRITISH   SHRAPNEL  SHELL 

(b).  Such  marking  as  may  be  necessary  to  identify  the 
steelmaker's  cast  number,  and,  in  case  of  heat-treatment, 
the  batch  number,  must  be  maintained  by  the  contractor 
upon  every  shell  throughout  manufacture,  (c) .  The  shell 
must  be  delivered  in  lots  for  purposes  of  proof.  A  lot  for 
this  purpose  will  consist,  as  far  as  possible,  of  shells  of 
the  same  cast,  and,  when  heat-treatment  is  employed,  of 
shells  of  the  same  batch  number,  and  must  not  contain 
more  than  121  shells,  (d).  When  the  number  of  shells  in 
a  cast  or  batch  is  less  than  100,  two  casts  or  batches  may  be 
grouped  together  for  this  purpose. 

Main  Examination  after  Delivery. — (a).  Any  shell  of  a 
lot  which  fails  to  pass  the  chief  inspector's  gages,  or  fails  to 
satisfy  the  chief  inspector  of  its  serviceability,  will  be  re- 
jected, (b).  If  at  any  time  during  the  examination  it  is 
found  that  defects  of  any  nature,  other  than  errors  of  ma- 
chining, which  involve  rejection  of  defective  shells,  amount 
to  5  per  cent  of  the  number  of  the  shells  in  the  lot,  the  "lot" 
will  be  rejected,  (c).  One  or  more  shells  selected  from 
the  lot  will  be  taken  to  pieces,  and  the  body  broken,  if  nec- 
essary, to  ascertain  that  the  details  of  manufacture  and 
component  parts  are  correct,  and  that  the  material  is  sound. 
Should  they  be  incorrect,  or  the  material  unsound,  in  any 
particular,  the  lot  will  be  rejected.  The  driving  band  will 
be  cut  out,  and  should  it  appear  not  to  have  been  pressed 
thoroughly  home  into  the  undercut  and  groove  throughout, 
the  lot  will  be  rejected,  (d).  If,  at  any  time  during  the 
examination  of  a  lot,  it  is  found  that  5  per  cent  of  the  shells 
in  the  lot  depart  from  the  approved  design,  further  exami- 
nation of  the  lot  will  be  suspended.  The  whole  of  the  lot 
must  be  re-examined  by  the  firm  and  those  shells  which  are 
incorrect  eliminated.  Those  shells  in  which  the  departure 
can  be  rectified  may  be  brought  to  the  approved  design  by 
the  firm.  The  lot  may  then  be  re-submitted. 

Tests.  — At  least  1  per  cent  of  the  shells  of  every  cast 
will  be  subjected  to  tensile  tests.  Test  pieces  will  be  cut 
from  the  shell  blank,  or  from  the  finished  shell  at  the  option 
of  the  chief  inspector,  and  must  be  capable  of  standing  the 
following  minimum  tests : 


BRITISH   SHRAPNEL  SHELL 


255 


Tenacity,  Tons  per 
Square  Inch 

Elongation  in  a  Test  Piece  2  Inches 
in  Length,  or  such  Piece  as  can  be 
cut  from  the  Shell,  provided  that 
Length 

Yield 
Point 

Breaking 
Stress 

j/  Area 

36 

56 

8  per  cent 

If  any  one  or  more  of  the  conditions  in  this  clause  are  not 
complied  with,  the  lot,  or  lots,  of  shell  affected,  will  be  re- 
jected, and  must  not  be  re-submitted.  The  contractor  will 
supply,  free  of  charge,  the  necessary  "Class  C"  metal  for 
testing,  if  requested  by  the  chief  inspector  to  do  so.  The 
pieces  ishould  not  be  less  than  7  inches  in  length,  nor  less 
than  1  inch  in  diameter,  and  will  be  required  to  stand  the 
following  test: 


Tenacity,  Tons  per 
Square  Inch 

Elongation  in  a  Test  Piece  2  Inches 
long  and  0.564  Inch  in  Diameter 

Yield 
Point 

Breaking 

Stress 

6 

12 

10  per  cent 

Proof.  —  (a).  A  percentage  of  the  shell  will  be  fired  for 
recovery  from  an  18-pounder  Q.  F.  gun,  with  such  a  charge 
as  will  give  a  chamber  pressure  not  less  than  15  tons  per 
square  inch.  Should  the  shell  so  fired  set  up  above  the  high 
diameter  of  body,  or  break  up  in  the  gun,  or  should  any 
portion  of  the  driving  band  separate  from  the  shell  before 
first  graze  or  impact,  or  should  the  recovered  shell  show 
that  the  shock  of  discharge  had  distorted  the  disk  support- 
ing the  bullets,  or  cause  such  alteration  of  the  internal  parts 
as  would  interfere  with  the  correct  action  of  the  shell,  or 
should  any  of  the  components  be  incorrect,  the  lot  will  be 
rejected,  provided  always  that  the  pressure  did  not  exceed 
the  specification  proof  pressure  by  0.5  ton.  If  the  pressure 
did  exceed  this  limit,  a  second  proof  must  be  taken  at  the 
government's  expense  before  the  lot  is  rejected.  The  pres- 


256 


BRITISH   SHRAPNEL  SHELL 


0.2^      |*- 


-*,    u-,,-0.225"  BODY.   FORGED  STEEL 

i-H   U?*1  0.401*- 


ENLARGED  SECTION  SHOWING 
g"g  COPPER  DRIVING  BAND       g  o 

°  o  S 

0-0- 


FUSE  SOCKET,  BRASS 

H  •  0.345  If  X, 3.65'.T0.01^ 

..   ., ^  i     I    '   ^ 3.30±0.01-tf 

H.0.225|r>|  LO_       i  -X^l,^ 1 

ZOT.P^H.  hMiKr;o"C''/«\    si 

BRITISH! 
(WHIT.)~ 

FIXING  SCREW,   STEEL  COPPER  DRIVING  BAND 

ELECTROLYTIC  COPPER 


Machinery 


Fig.    2.     Details    of    British    18-pcunder    Shrapnel    Shell 


BRITISH   SHRAPNEL  SHELL  257 

sure  of  the  round,  if  not  taken,  will  be  assumed  to  be  that 
of  the  last  round  fired  with  the  same  charge  in  which  pres- 
sure was  taken.  Further,  should  the  shell  be  reported  un- 
steady in  flight,  and  be  found  on  recovery  to  be  without 
its  driving  band,  or  with  the  driving  band  loose  or  slipped 
in  its  seating,  then  the  driving  band  of  a  similar  number 
of  shells  to  that  taken  for  firing  proof  may  be  cut  out  to 
ascertain  whether  they  have  been  properly  pressed  on;  if 
they  have  not  been  pressed  down  to  the  satisfaction  of  the 
chief  inspector,  the  lot  will  be  rejected.  If  found  correct, 
such  shells  will  be  rebanded  by  the  contractor  free  of  charge. 

(b).  The  shells  fired  for  proof  may,  after  recovery,  be 
broken  to  ascertain  the  soundness  of  their  material.  Should 
any  of  the  material  be  unsound  in  any  respect,  the  lot  will 
be  rejected. 

Re-submission. —  (a).  A  rejected  lot  must  not  be  re- 
submitted  unless  the  rejection  is  due  to  failure  of  the  driv- 
ing band,  or  to  rectifiable  gaging  defects,  (b).  Shells 
put  out  at  any  period  of  inspection  for  remediable  defects 
may  be  re-submitted  for  further  examination  after  the  de- 
fects have  been  rectified.  It  is  to  be  understood  that  the 
examination  of  such  shells  at  that  time  will  be  incomplete, 
and  that  they  are  liable  to  rejection  after  rectification,  (c) . 
If  the  contractor  wishes  to  re-invoice  a  lot  rejected  for  fail- 
ure of  driving  bands,  he  must  remove  the  shells  and  re-band 
them  before  they  are  again  submitted,  (d).  Rejected 
shells  will,  if  considered  necessary,  be  marked  with  a  small 
rejection  mark,  so  that  they  can  be  readily  identified  if  re- 
delivered. 

Replacement  of  Proof.  —  The  contractor  will  be  required 
to  replace,  free  of  charge,  all  shells  expended  in  proof  and 
examination,  which,  whether  fired  or  otherwise  tested,  will 
be  the  property  of  the  government. 

Packing.  —  All  packages  are  to  be  so  marked  that  the 
goods  contained  therein  may  be  readily  identified  with  the 
invoice.  Unless  it  is  specified  in  the  contract  that  the  pack- 
ing cases  or  other  packing  material  are  to  become  the  prop- 
erty of  the  war  department,  they  will  remain  the  property 
of  the  contractor,  who  is  responsible  for  their  removal. 


258  BRITISH  SHRAPNEL  SHELL 

Should  they  not  be  removed  within  two  months  of  the  ac- 
ceptance at  the  stores,  they  will  be  disposed  of,  and  under 
such  circumstances  the  contractor  will  not  be  entitled  to 
make  any  claim  for  compensation.  The  packing  cases  must 
be  marked  "Returnable"  or  "Non-returnable." 

Inspection.  —  The  shells  may  be  inspected  at  any  time 
during  manufacture  by,  and  after  delivery  will  be  subject 
to  testing  by,  and  to  the  final  approval  of,  the  chief  inspec- 
tor, Royal  Arsenal,  Woolwich,  England,  or  an  officer  deputed 
by  him.  In  cases  of  defects  occurring  in  manufacture 
which  necessitate  repairs,  the  contractor  shall  bring  the 
same  to  the  notice  of  the  inspecting  officer,  and  shall  obtain 
from  him  written  authority  to  proceed  with  such  repairs  as 
may  entail  patching,  burning,  electric  welding,  or  other 
similar  processes. 

WEIGHT  OF  18-POUNDER  SHRAPNEL  SHELL  PARTS 

Weights    (avoirdupois) 
Part  Pounds  Ounces    Drama 


Driving  band  

4 

12  C  ±  2  °Z' 

Metal  socket   

8 

8 

Steel  disk  .      ... 

9 

8 

Brass  tube 

2 

12 

Tin  cup 

1 

12 

Bullets,  about  327  of 
pound    

alloyed  metal,  41  per 
7 

14 

13  1/2 

Resin    . 

13 

11 

Total  weight  empty 

(unpainted)*              16 

13 

Sy2  -+-11  drams 

Bursting  charge  ... 

2 

8 

Paint  

5y2 

Fuse    ... 

1 

7 

10 

Total    weight 

.   18 

8-^5  drams 

*  To  regulate  weight  of  shell,  a  few  buckshot  may  be  used. 

Plug  for  Fuse  Hole.  —  The  plug  is  to  be  made  of  a  cop- 
per alloy,  and  to  the  form  and  dimensions  shown  on  the 
drawing,  threaded  externally  on  the  body,  and  a  square  re- 
cess, tapered,  is  to  be  formed  in  the  top.  The  screw 
threads  must,  unless  otherwise  stated,  be  of  the  British 
standard  fine  screw  thread,  and  conform  to  the  standard 
gages  of  the  chief  inspector,  Royal  Arsenal,  Woolwich,  Eng- 
land. Contractors  may  send  their  screw  gages  to  the  chief 
inspector,  to  be  compared  with  the  standard  gages. 


BRITISH   SHRAPNEL  SHELL  259 

Any  plug  of  a  delivery  which  fails  to  pass  the  inspecting 
officers'  gages,  or  shows  flaws  or  sponginess  on  the  surface, 
or  fails  to  satisfy  the  chief  inspector,  Woolwich,  as  to  its 
serviceability,  will  be  rejected.  If  at  any  time  during  the 
examination  it  is  found  that  defects  of  any  nature,  other 
than  errors  of  machining,  which  involve  rejection  of  the 
defective  plugs,  amount  to  5  per  cent  of  the  number  of  plugs 
in  the  delivery,  the  whole  order  will  be  rejected.  If  at  any 
time  during  the  examination  of  a  delivery  it  is  found  that 
5  per  cent  of  the  plugs  in  the  delivery  will  depart  from  the 
approved  design,  further  examination  of  the  plugs  will  be 
suspended;  the  whole  of  the  delivery  must  be  re-examined 
by  the  firm,  and  those  plugs  which  are  incorrect  to  design 
eliminated.  Those  plugs  in  which  the  departure  can  be  rec- 
tified may  be  brought  to  the  approved  design  by  the  firm. 
The  delivery  may  then  be  re-submitted  for  examination. 
The  contractor  will  be  required  to  replace  free  of  charge  all 
plugs  expended  in  test  and  examination,  which  will  become 
the  property  of  the  government. 


CHAPTER  XI 

SPECIFICATIONS  FOR  BRITISH  COMBINATION  TIME 
AND  PERCUSSION  FUSES 

The  following  specifications,  abstracted  from  the  official 
requirements  relating  to  British  "Mark  I"  (No.  85)  combi- 
nation time  and  percussion  fuses,  give  the  general  infor- 
mation required  in  the  manufacturing  and  inspection  of 
these  fuses.  These  specifications,  in  conjunction  with  the 
very  complete  illustrations,  Figs.  1  to  6,  inclusive,  of  the  de- 
sign and  details  of  the  British  fuse,  give  all  the  essential 
data  required. 

Components.  —  The  fuse  consists  of  the  following  parts: 
Body,  top  and  bottom  composition  rings ;  cap  with  set-screw ; 
base  plug  with  screw  plug;  time  detonator  pellet  in  two 
parts ;  percussion  pellet  with  sleeve  and  firing  pin ;  detona- 
tors; four  spiral  springs;  brass  and  steel  pins;  onion  skin 
paper;  unbleached  muslin;  felt  cloth  and  brass  washers; 
brass  and  tin-foil  disks ;  suspending  ring  for  time  pellet ;  and 
onion  skin  paper  patches. 

Metals.  —  The  body  and  composition  rings  are  to  be  made 
of  bronze  or  metal  known  as  "Class  B ;"  the  time  detonator 
pellet  and  percussion  pellet  to  be  erf  hard-rolled  brass;  the 
percussion  firing  pin  pivot,  of  steel,  phosphorized  or  blued ; 
the  time  and  percussion  firing  pins,  of  bronze  or  "Class  B" 
metal;  all  other  parts  of  the  fuse,  except  where  otherwise 
stated,  of  metal  "Class  C,"  or  hard-rolled  brass.  The  con- 
tractor must  supply  the  necessary  metal  for  testing,  free 
of  charge. 

Metals  designated  by  "classes"  are  copper  alloys,  the 
compositions  of  which  are  left  to  the  discretion  of  the  mak- 
ers providing  the  metals  conform  to  the  above  tests. 

Before  proceeding  to  manufacture,  the  material  must  be 
submitted  to  the  inspecting  officer  for  mechanical  test. 
When  practicable,  test  pieces  should  not  be  less  than  7  inches 
in  length  nor  less  than  1  inch  in  diameter,  and  will  be  re- 
quired to  stand  the  following  minimum  tests: 

260 


BRITISH  COMBINATION  FUSE 


261 


Metal 

Tenacity,  Tons  per 
Square  Inch 

Elongation  in  Per  Cent  in  such 
a  Test  Piece  as  can  be  fur- 
nished, provided  that 

Length 

Yield 
Point 

Breaking 

Stress 

I/  Area 

Bronze         .  .       .... 

13.5 
12 
6 
6 

27 
20 
12 
12 

20 
30 
10 
10 

Class  "B" 

Class  "C"           
Hard-rolled  Brass  .  .  . 

Body. —  The  body  is  to  be  turned  all  over,  and  threaded 
externally  at  the  upper  and  lower  ends,  a  bevel  being  formed 
at  the  junction  of  the  stem  and  the  flange.  The  stem  is 
to  be  bored,  and  a  hole  drilled  at  the  bottom  of  the  bore 
to  receive  the  time  firing  pin.  The  upper  surface  of  the 
flange  is  to  be  grooved.  The  interior  is  to  be  bored  out  to 
form  a  chamber  for  the  reception  of  the  percussion  arrange- 
ment and  threaded  for  the  base  plug;  a  hole  is  to  be  bored 
and  threaded  at  the  bottom  of  the  bore  to  receive  the  per- 
cussion detonator  holder.  An  annular  recess  is  to  be  made 
for  the  magazine.  Communicating  holes  are  to  be  drilled 
as  follows : 

(a)  At  an  angle  to  the  top  surface  of  the  flange. 

(b)  Vertically  from  the  magazine  recess. 

(c)  Horizontally  at  the  top  of  the  detonator  recess. 

(d)  At  an  angle  to  join  (b)  and  (c). 

(e)  At  an  angle  from  outside  to  bottom  of  recess  in 
stem. 

Holes  (c)  and  (d)  are  to  be  closed  by  plugs  driven  in 
and  secured  by  punch  stabs.  Two  slots  are  to  be  cut  in  the 
flange  as  shown  in  Fig.  2,  and  an  elongated  hole  made  to 
receive  a  stop  pin,  which  is  to  be  secured  by  a  small  pin, 
driven  in.  A  setting  mark  is  to  be  cut  on  the  edge  of  the 
flange. 

Top  Composition  Ring.  —  The  ring  is  to  be  turned  all 
over,  and  bored  to  fit  the  stem  of  the  body.  A  groove  is  to 
be  formed  in  the  under  side  for  the  composition,  and  a  re- 
cess made  as  shown  in  Fig.  2,  three  holes  being  drilled  from 
the  upper  surface  into  the  recess.  A  hole  is  to  be  drilled 


262 


BRITISH  COMBINATION  FUSE 


through  the  ring  between  the  ends  of  the  composition  chan- 
nel, and  recessed.  A  recess  is  to  be  formed  in  the  bore, 
from  which  a  flash  hole  is  to  be  drilled  at  an  angle  commun- 
icating with  one  end  of  the  composition  channel,  a  vertical 
escape  hole  being  made  from  the  top  surface  to  the  flash 
hole.  An  indicating  mark  is  to  be  made  on  the  outside  of 


0 


13) 


Machinery 


Fig.    1. 


British    "Mark    I"    (No.    85)    Combination    Time    and    Percussion 
Fuse— Modified    Form    of   American   21 -second    Fuse 


the  ring.  Two  holes  are  to  be  bored  between  the  ring  and 
the  stem  of  the  body,  into  which  pins  are  to  be  inserted  to 
retain  the  ring  in  position.  The  ring  is  to  be  made  0.020 
inch  thicker  than  the  dimension  given  on  the  drawing,  and 
faced  off  to  thickness  after  powder  is  pressed  into  the 
groove. 

Bottom  Composition  Ring.  —  The  ring  is  to  be  turned  all 


BRITISH  COMBINATION  FUSE  263 

over  and  bored  to  fit  the  stem  of  the  body,  the  upper  surface 
being  grooved.  A  groove  is  to  be  formed  in  the  under  side 
for  the  composition,  and  an  annular  recess  made,  three  holes 
being  drilled  from  the  upper  face  into  the  recess.  A  hole 
is  to  be  drilled  in  the  ring  from  the  under  side  between  the 
ends  of  the  composition  channel.  An  escape  hole  is  to  be 
drilled,  at  an  angle,  from  the  end  of  the  composition  channel 
to  the  annular  recess,  and  a  recess  made  to  receive  the  clos- 
ing disk.  A  hole  communicating  with  the  groove  and  the  es- 
cape hole  is  to  be  drilled  at  an  angle  to  the  top  surface  to 
receive  a  powder  pellet.  A  hole  is  to  be  drilled  and  recessed 
for  a  setting  pin,  which  is  to  be  secured  by  a  small  pin 
driven  in.  The  ring  is  to  be  graduated  from  "0"  to  "21.2 ;" 
each  division,  after  the  first,  is  to  be  sub-divided  into  five 
parts.  A  line  to  denote  safety  position  is  to  be  marked. 
The  marking  is  to  be  blackened  with  japan  black  thinned 
with  spirits  of  turpentine,  except  the  mark  denoting  the 
safety  point,  which  is  to  be  colored  red. 

Cap  with  Set-screw.  —  The  cap  is  to  be  machined  all 
over,  and  recessed  internally  to  receive  the  time  detonator 
pellet.  The  lower  part  of  the  recess  is  to  be  threaded  to 
screw  over  the  stem  of  the  body.  Two  slots  are  to  be  made 
in  the  cap  to  receive  a  key,  and  a  hole  is  to  be  drilled  through 
the  side  and  tapped  to  take  a  brass  set-screw.  A  groove  is 
to  be  made  near  the  top,  which  is  to  be  partially  closed  by 
spinning  over  the  edge.  Four  escape  holes  are  to  be  drilled 
at  an  angle  from  the  recess  on  the  under  side,  into  the 
groove. 

Base  Plug.  —  The  base  plug  is  to  be  threaded  externally 
to  fit  the  bottom  of  the  body.  Two  holes  are  to  be  drilled 
in  the  under  side  to  facilitate  assembling,  and  a  central 
recess  formed  with  a  seating  to  receive  a  brass  washer  with 
a  muslin  disk.  Six  holes  are  to  be  drilled  at  an  angle  from 
the  upper  surface  into  the  lower  recess,  and  a  hole  drilled 
and  tapped  in  the  bottom  to  take  a  screw  plug.  This  plug 
is  to  be  threaded  externally  to  fit  into  the  bottom  of  the 
base  plug. 

Time  Pellet  and  Detonator.  —  The  pellet  is  to  consist  of 
two  parts,  which  are  to  be  turned  and  bored,  the  parts  be- 


264 


BRITISH  COMBINATION  FUSE 


ing  screwed  together  to  secure  the  detonator.     A  screw- 
driver slot  is  to  be  made  in  the  top  surface,  and  a  seating 


Fig.    2.     Details    of    British    Combination    Fuse 

formed  on  the  outer  surface  for  the  suspension  ring.  The 
detonator  is  to  be  turned  all  over  and  recessed,  four  fire 
holes  being  drilled  through  into  the  recess.  The  recess 


BRITISH  COMBINATION  FUSE  265 

is  to  be  coated  with  non-acid  paint  and  charged  with  0.45 
grain  of  the  following  composition  (giving  parts  by  weight)  : 

Glass 50 

Fulminate  of  Mercury 40 

Chlorate  of  Potash 20 

Sulphide  of  Antimony 30 

Shellac  (dry)    2.8 

The  ingredients  are  to  be  thoroughly  pulverized,  except- 
ing the  fulminate,  mixed  dry,  and  then  covered  with  alco- 
hol. The  fulminate  will  then  be  added  and  the  whole  thor- 
oughly mixed.  The  composition  is  to  be  covered  with  a 
brass  disk  secured  by  shellac.  The  recess  in  the  plug  is  to 
be  coated  with  a  composition  of  shellac  and  rosaniline  and 
filled  with  11/2  grain  of  shrapnel  powder  compressed  with 
a  total  pressure  of  60  pounds.  The  detonator  is  to  be  in- 
serted in  the  holder,  and  secured  in  place  by  the  screw  plug, 
the  two  being  locked  together  by  a  small  brass  pin. 

Percussion  Pellet.  —  The  percussion  pellet  is  to  be  ma- 
chined all  over,  two  holes  being  bored  in  the  upper  surface 
and  a  slot  cut  to  receive  the  firing  pin.  Two  holes  are  to 
be  drilled  at  right  angles  to  the  slot  and  parallel  to  the  flat 
surfaces,  one  to  receive  the  pivot  for  the  firing  pin  and  the 
other  for  the  centrifugal  bolts.  The  sleeve  is  to  be  ma- 
chined all  over,  and  is  to  be  a  driving  fit  on  the  pellet.  Two 
spiral  springs  and  two  small  pellets,  and  a  pivot  pin  for  the 
firing  pin,  are  to  be  provided.  All  parts,  except  the  pivot 
pin,  are  to  be  tinned  all  over.  The  parts  are  to  be  assem- 
bled, and  a  hole  drilled  into  the  sleeve  and  pellet,  and  a 
small  brass  pin  driven  in. 

Percussion  Detonator  and  Holder.  —  The  percussion  de- 
tonator is  to  be  turned  and  recessed  on  both  sides,  two  flash 
holes  being  drilled  between  the  two  recesses.  The  smaller 
recess  is  to  be  charged  with  0.45  grain  of  the  following 
composition  (the  figures  giving  parts  by  weight)  : 

Chlorate  of  Potash 43.19 

Sulphide  of  Antimony 21.5 

Sulphur    7.5 

Glass   10.5 

Shellac   .  1.7 


266 


BRITISH  COMBINATION  FUSE 


0.32  ±0.001,,  0.0015 

[< »K-  /NOTE:  TIME  T 

aMiaowJ        U_     ||   ^±MiSS6 

_T — J —  i — jJLwesR 

..IF 

-  -    ±0.002 


0.101±0.003 


I 


GROOVE  POWDER, 
SEE  SPEC. 


DRILL  0.  073 
iFTER  ASSEMBLING 


SECTION  A-A 
THROUGH 
LOCATING  HOLE 


POLISH  AND  LACQUER 
THIS  SURFACE 

TIME  AND  PERCUSSIO 
TOP  RING 


O        v^  ^  >j        I  f  «M"»J    I 

30- — ^""^      30^_  A    lK0.22>i|          36  THDS. 

_^^^_2^/ , afi-VAL—d  I    X«-*-STO. 


i*l 

j     COAT  WITH  COMPOSITION   OF 
ROSANILINE 


BOTTOM  CLOSING  SCREW 

BRASS 
0.064  DIA.,    0.10  DEEP,  DRILL   AFTER 


OCATE  AND  DRIl 
AFTER  ASSEMBLING 
CONCUSSION  PLUNGER  CUP 
BOTTOM  CLOSING  SCREW  PLUG 

ONE— BRASS        ^__g 

8  -H 


CONCUSSION  PLUNGER  CU 
ONE  — BRASS 


Fig.    3.     Details    of    British    Combination    Fuse 


BRITISH  COMBINATION  FUSE  267 

The  ingredients  are  to  be  thoroughly  pulverized  and 
mixed  dry.  Alcohol  will  be  added  to  dissolve  the  shellac. 
The  detonator  will  be  formed  by  pressing  the  mixture,  while 
in  a  plastic  state,  into  the  recess.  On  the  evaporation  of 
the  alcohol  the  composition  should  adhere  strongly  to  the 
metal.  A  brass  disk,  34  in  Fig.  5,  is  to  be  secured  over 
the  composition  with  shellac.  The  larger  recess  is  to  be 
varnished  with  a  composition  of  shellac  and  rosaniline,  and 
4  grains  of  shrapnel  powder  compressed  into  it  with  a  pres- 
sure of  127  pounds  and  covered  with  a  disk  of  tin  foil,  shel- 
lacked on.  The  holder  is  to  be  threaded  externally  to  fit  in 
the  body,  and  recessed  to  receive  the  detonator,  a  central 
hole  and  two  key-holes  being  made. 

Pellets.  —  The  powder  pellets  are  to  be  made  to  the 
shapes  shown  in  Fig.  5.  Pellets  33  and  35  are  to  be  made 
from  compressed  unglazed  black  powder,  with  clearance 
holes  as  shown ;  pellets  32  and  36  are  to  have  the  clearance 
holes  filled  with  0.05  and  0.02  grains,  respectively,  of  gun- 
cotton. 

Percussion  Springs.  —  The  springs  used  in  the  percus- 
sion plunger  must  be  made  to  the  form  and  size  shown  in 
Fig.  5,  and  tinned.  The  percussion  safety  pin  spring  (21) 
is  to  be  made  from  0.012  inch  diameter  brass  wire,  tinned, 
and  wound  so  as  to  give  a  free  height  of  0.150  inch  ±  0.030 
inch,  and  at  such  a  spacing  as  to  give  44  coils  per  inch. 
The  percussion  restraining  spring  (30)  is  to  be  made  from 
0.015  inch  diameter  brass  wire,  tinned,  and  wound  so  as  to 
give  a  free  height  of  0.500  inch  ±  0.050  inch,  and  at  such  a 
spacing  as  to  give  36  coils  per  inch.  This  spring  is  to  have 
a  maximum  resistance  of  1.65  and  a  minimum  of  1.5  ounce 
at  an  assembled  height  of  0.370  inch. 

Suspending  Ring.  —  The  suspending  ring  for  time  deton- 
ator pellet  is  to  be  made  of  brass  wire.  The  ring  is  to  be  of 
such  strength  that  when  tested  with  steel  counterparts  of 
the  stem  and  pellet,  the  latter  is  forced  through  the  ring 
with  a  deadweight  load  of  from  69  to  77  pounds. 

Cloth  Washers.  —  The  cloth  washers  are  to  be  made  from 
waterproofed  felt  cloth,  with  holes  cut  in  them.  The  body 
and  graduated  time  train  washers  16  and  17,  respectively, 


268 


BRITISH  COMBINATION  FUSE 


SPUN  OVER 
AMD  TRIMME 


0. 166  ± 0.002  -£~t  |\        0. 166  ±  O.OOS 


^Mfe«SVMa" 


BOTTOM  CLOSING  SCREW  DISK 

ONE-UNBLEACHED  MUSLIN  SHEETING 

SHELLACED 


BOTTOM  CLOSING  SCREW  WASHER 

SHEET  BRASS 
SHELLACED  ON    BOTTOM  OF  GROOVE   COVER 

CLOSING  SCREW  DISK     |       ONE -ONION  SKIN  PAPER 

H    SHELLAC 
AFTER  GROOVE 


PERCUSSION  PRIMER  CLOSING  DISK 
ONE— TINFOIL 


0.875-  ,  ,  : 

K0.2>J0.14<-        p|N_oNE  BRASS 

0.064  DIA.  0.15  LONG 
1.152  ±0.003 H  DRIVEN  IN 


CONCUSSION  PRIMER  DISK 

ONE-SHEET  BRASS 
SHELLAC  ON  PRIMER 


TIME  AND  PERCUSSION  BOTTOM  RING 


Machinery 


Fig.    4.     Details    of    British    Combination    Fuse 


BRITISH  COMBINATION  FUSE  269 

which  are  shown  in  Fig.  5,  are  to  be  subjected  to  a  pressure 
of  approximately  10,000  pounds  per  square  inch  after  as- 
sembling, before  closing  cap  is  screwed  on  and  adjusted. 

Lacquering  and  Polishing.  —  The  exterior  surfaces  of 
the  fuse  are  to  be  polished  and  lacquered  with  a  lacquer 
consisting  of  1  pound  of  seedlac,  8  ounces  of  turmeric,  and 
8  pounds  (1  gallon)  of  methylated  spirits.  The  groove  in 
the  top  and  bottom  composition  rings,  the  magazine  recess 
in  the  body,  the  powder  channels  and  groove  in  the  base 
plug,  and  the  powder  chambers  of  time  detonator  and  per- 
cussion detonator  holder,  are  to  be  lacquered  with  a  lacquer 
consisting  of  10  grains  of  rosaniline,  li/2  pound  of  pow- 
dered shellac,  and  1  quart  of  methylated  spirits. 

Screw  Threads.  —  The  screw  threads  must,  unless  other- 
wise stated  on  the  drawing,  be  of  the  British  standard  fine 
screw  thread,  and  conform  to  the  standard  gages  of  the 
government  inspector.  For  fuses  not  made  in  England, 
the  British  standard  threads  will  not  be  insisted  upon,  ex- 
cept for  the  large  thread  on  the  body. 

Time  Arrangement The  grooves  on  the  under  side  of 

the  composition  rings  are  to  be  charged  with  56  grains  of 
No.  22  meal  powder  compressed  at  68,000  pounds  per  square 
inch ;  the  rings  are  then  to  be  faced  off,  and  the  holes  at  the 
ends  of  the  channels  drilled.  The  onion  skin  paper  wash- 
ers are  to  be  secured  to  the  surfaces  by  shellac.  Perforated 
pellets  of  black  powder  are  to  be  inserted  in  the  flash  hole 
in  the  top  ring,  escape  hole  and  flash  hole  in  bottom  ring, 
and  flash  hole  in  the  body,  the  pellets  for  escape  hole  in  bot- 
tom ring  and  flash  hole  having  the  perforation  filled  with 
loose  guncotton.  The  space  at  the  end  of  the  channel  in 
the  bottom  ring  is  to  be  filled  with  loose  meal  powder. 
An  onion  skin  paper  patch  is  to  be  secured  over  the  flash 
hole  in  top  ring,  and  the  escape  hole  in  bottom  ring  closed 
by  a  brass  disk  secured  by  two  center  punch  holes,  and 
coated  with  shellac.  The  cloth  washers  are  to  be  secured! 
on  the  upper  faces  of  the  body  and  the  lower  time  ring  with 
fish  glue,  and  subjected  to  a  pressure  of  10,000  pounds  per 
square  inch. 


270 


BRITISH  COMBINATION  FUSE 


-*>.   i<-ao8  ±0.003, 

CONCUSSION  RESISTANCE  RING 


BOTTOM  RING  WASHER 
ONION  SKIN  0.0015  THICK, 

,  U_  0.72  ±0.001  _>1 

STAMP  WITH  Jj  LETTERS 

AND  FIGURES, >^        ~*0.156$!>.Q02\ 


TOP  RING  WASHER 
ONION  SKIN  0.00  1  5  THICK, 

0.54  t  O.QQ2  i 


FTER  ASSEMBLING  TO  PERCUSSION  PLUNGER 

PERCUSSION  PLUNGER  HOUSING 

ONE  -  BRASS  -TINNED 


0.165 
±0.002 

LOCATE  AND  DRILL  AFT 
ASSEMBLING  TO  PERCUSSION 

PLUNGER  HOUSING  PERCUSSION   PLUNGER 


PERCUSSIO^N  RESTRAINING          PERCUSSION  FIRING  PIN  FULCRUM        °    PERCUSSION 
SPRING  HOUSING  ONE-STEEL  DRILL  ROD  SAFETY   PIN 

TWO-BRASS  TINNED  ^,0  TWO- BRASS-TIN  NED 

«.uii^     ss&tsfjs   AjajLs&s!  ,.m' 




36  COILS  PER  INCH    T 

PERCUSStON 
RESTRAINING  SPRING 
TWO-BRASS  WIRE-TINNED 


PERCUSSION   PRIMER 
ONE-BRASS 


TIME  TRAIN  RING   PELLET 
ONE-COMPRESSED  UNGLAZED 
BLACK  POWDER 


PERCUSSION  PRIMER  DISK 
ONE-SHEET  BRASS 


ONE-COMPRESSED  UNGLAZEC 

BLACK  POWDER 
USED  IN  GRAD.  TIME  TRAIN  RING 
Machin 


Fig.    5.     Details    of    British    Combination    Fuse 


BRITISH  COMBINATION  FUSE  271 

Assembling  and  Closing. — The  different  parts  of  the 
fuse  are  to  be  put  together  as  in  the  assembly  view,  Fig.  1. 
The  cap  is  to  be  screwed  down  so  that  a  turning  moment  of 
325  ±  25  inch-ounces  will  just  turn  the  ring,  the  cap  being 
secured  by  means  of  a  set-screw.  The  bench  or  table  upon 
which  the  tensioning  apparatus  is  fixed  is  to  be  jarred  by 
tapping  with  a  mallet  to  assist  the  turning  of  the  ring.  The 
base  plug  is  to  be  screwed  into  the  body,  and  the  magazine 
filled  with  fine-grain  powder  through  the  filling  hole.  The 
bottom  of  the  fuse  is  to  be  coated  with  shellac  varnish. 

Delivery.  — The  fuses  are  to  be  delivered  in  lots  of  2000, 
an  additional  40  being  supplied  free,  for  purposes  of  proof. 
In  the  event  of  further  proof  being  required,  the  fuses  will 
be  taken  from  the  lot. 

Proof.  —  The  fuses  selected  for  proof  will  be  tested  as 
follows : 

(a)  Ten  will  have  the  percussion  arrangement  removed, 
and  will  be  tested  to  determine  the  mean  time  of  burning 
at  rest.     The  time  train  will  be  set  at  the  highest  gradua- 
tion mark.     The  mean  time  of  burning,  set  full  when  cor- 
rected for  barometer,  will  be  22.9  seconds  ±  0.4  second. 
The  constant  to  be  used,  when  correcting  for  barometer,  is 
0.023  of  the  mean  time  of  burning,  for  every  inch  the 
barometer  reads  above  or  below  30  inches,  being  plus  when 
above  and  minus  when  below.     The  difference  between  the 
shortest  and  longest  time  of  burning  is  not  to  be  more  than 
0.5  second.     If  the  lot  fails  to  pass  this  test,  a  further  proof 
will  be  taken;  the  fuse  must  burn  within  the  limits  speci- 
fied above,  otherwise  the  lot  will  be  rejected.     Should  the 
detonator  fail  to  ignite  the  time  ring,  a  second  proof  will 
be  taken ;  should  a  similar  failure  occur  at  second  proof,  or 
should  there  be  more  than  one  such  failure  at  first  proof, 
the  lot  will  be  rejected. 

(b)  Twenty  fuses  will  be  fired,  at  the  same  elevation,  in 
any  of  the  following  guns,  with  full  charges,  and  the  time 
of  burning  noted.    The  requirements  as  to  the  result  of  the 
firing  with  the  fuses  set  at  different  graduations  are  as 
given  in  detail  in  the  following : 


272  BRITISH  COMBINATION  FUSE 

1.     The  mean  difference  from  the  mean  time  of  burning 
of  the  20  fuses  is  not  to  exceed : 

(  if  set  full 0.14  second 

In  18-pounder  guns   j  if  set  16 0.n  second 


T    10  ,  (  if  set  full 0.2     second 

In  13-pounder  guns    j 


if  set  14. .  .  .0.13  second 


The  difference  between  the  longest  and  shortest  fuse  is 
not  to  exceed : 

if  set  full 0.75  second 

or  omitting  one  fuse.  .  .  .0.6  second 

if  set  16 0.6  second 

or  omitting  one  fuse.  .  .  .0.5  second 

if  set  full 0.9  second 

or  omitting  one  fuse ....  0.7  second 

if  set  14 0.7  second 

or  omitting  one  fuse.  . .  .0.5  second 


In  18-pounder  guns 


In  13-pounder  guns 


2.  If  there  is  one  blind  fuse,  a  second  proof  will  be  taken. 
If  there  is  a  blind  at  second  proof,  or  more  than  one  such 
failure  at  first  proof,  the  lot  will  be  rejected. 

(c)  Five  fuses  from  a  lot  will  be  tested,  in  shrapnel 
shells,  by  firing  them  set  at  "0"  from  a  gun  with  a  muzzle 
velocity  of  1500  to  1800  feet  per  second.     The  fuses  should 
burst  the  shells  at  from  5  to  50  yards  from  the  muzzle  of 
the  gun.     Should  there  be  a  burst  in  the  gun,  the  lot  will 
be  rejected.     Should  any  fuse  fail  to  act  within  50  yards, 
second  proof  will  be  taken;  should  a  similar  failure  occur 
in  the  second  proof,  or  should  there  be  more  than  one  such 
failure  at  first  proof,  the  lot  will  be  rejected. 

(d)  Five  fuses  from  a  lot  will  be  tested  in  common 
shells  by  firing  them  over  sand,  at  such  an  elevation  that 
the  angle  of  descent  will  not  be  more  than  4  degrees.  When 
one  only  of  a  set  of  fuses  so  fired  fails  to  burst  on  first  graze 
the  lot  will  be  accepted  without  further  proof;  if  there  be 
more  than  one  failure  to  burst  on  graze  in  the  second  proof, 
the  lot  will  be  rejected.    The  fuses  must  burst  at  the  point 
of  impact.    For  percussion  proof  the  time  ring  is  to  be  set 
on  the  bridge. 


BRITISH  COMBINATION  FUSE 


273 


(e)  A  premature  explosion  due  to  the  fuse  in  any  of 
the  foregoing  proofs  will  cause  the  rejection  of  the  lot. 

(f)  Should  any  other  gun  be  introduced  for  proof  of 
this  fuse,   which  differs  from  the   above  guns   in  either 
muzzle  velocity  or  twist  of  rifling  at  muzzle,  the  above  con- 
ditions will  be  subject  to  modification. 

(g)  If,  in  the  proof  of  any  delivery,  defects  are  found 
involving  the  serviceability  of  fuses,  additional  proof  may 
be  taken  from  any  other  delivery  not  finally  closed,  to  ascer- 


[< 2.28±:0-02 — 


---9.9  ±0.03 — 


SOLDERING  STRIP 
ONE-SHEET  BRASS 


CENTERING  BOX 


SOFT   SOLDER  COMPOSITION  :-3  PARTS  LEAD, 
3  PARTS  TIN,   1  PART  BISMUTH 


1  *% .  _ /*»         ? 

'CJT^fe£ 


9^ 

SOLDERING  STRIP 


'4  R  »fe 

k—  x-*i 


Fig.   6.     Details  of    British    Combination    Fuse   Cover   and   Case 

tain  if  the  defect  is  general.  Should  the  fuses  fail  at  this 
further  proof,  the  delivery  will  be  rejected  without  refer- 
ence to  the  original  proof.  The  total  proof  of  any  delivery 
shall  not  exceed  5  per  cent  of  the  lot.  The  contractor  will 
be  required  to  replace  all  fuses  expended  in  further  proof  or 
examination  free  of  charge,  which,  whether  fired  or  other- 
wise tested,  will  become  the  property  of  the  government. 

Inspection.  —  (a)  The  components  of  the  fuses,  during 
manufacture  and  assembling,  and  the  completed  fuses  after 
delivery,  will  be  subject  to  examination  and  gaging  by,  and 


274 


BRITISH  COMBINATION  FUSE 


to  the  final  approval  of,  the  chief  inspector  or  an  officer 
deputed  by  him.  Any  component  or  fuse,  which  is  not 
finished  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  chief  inspector,  or  his  rep- 
resentative, or  which  has  any  flaw  or  imperfection,  will  be 
rejected. 

(b)     If,  at  any  time  during  examination,  it  is  found  that 
defects  of  any  nature  which  involve  rejection  of  the  defec- 

GBADUATION  TABLE  FOR  TIME-RING  ON  BRITISH  COMBINATION 
TIME  AND  PERCUSSION  FUSE 


CROSS  PAINTED  RED 
0.02  WIDE,  0.01   DEEP  GROOVES 


Graduation 


Angle 


Deg.       Min 


Graduation 


Angle 


Deg. 


Min. 


Oto5 
Otol 
Ito2 

2  to  3 

3  to  4 

4  to  5 

5  to  6 

6  to  7 

7  to  8 

8  to  11  each 
11  to  12 


26 
16 
15 
15 
16 
14 
14 
14 
13 
13 
13 


0 
45 
15 
30 
30 
40 
35 
15 
55 
35 


12  to  13 

13  to  14 

14  to  15 

15  to  16 

16  to  17 

17  to  18 

18  to  19 

19  to  20 

20  to  21 

21  to  21. 2 


13 
13 
12 
12 
12 
11 
13 
14 
16 
3 


10 
0 
50 
30 
0 
30 
10 
30 
20 
30 


tive  components,  or  fuses,  amount  to  5  per  cent  of  the  num- 
ber in  the  lot,  the  lot  will  be  rejected. 

(c)  If,  at  any  time  during  examination  of  the  lot,  it  is 
found  that  5  per  cent  of  fuses  in  the  lot  depart  from  the 
approved  design,  further  examination  will  be  suspended. 
The  whole  of  the  lot  must  be  re-examined  by  the  contractor 
and  those  fuses  which  are  incorrect  to  design  eliminated. 
Those  fuses  in  which  the  departure  can  be  rectified  may 
be  changed  to  the  approved  design  by  the  contractor.  The 
lot  may  then  be  re-submitted  for  examination. 


BRITISH  COMBINATION  FUSE  275 

Tests  for  Safety  in  Transportation.  —  From  each  lot,  20 
time  and  20  percussion  plungers  are  to  be  tested  to  ascer- 
tain the  correctness  of  their  weights  and  static  resistances. 
Lots  of  plungers  not  correct  within  the  tolerence  allowed 
will  be  rejected.  At  the  commencement  of  manufacture,  6 
time  and  6  percussion  plungers  from  each  lot  will  be  sub- 
jected to  a  drop  test  against  a  steel  block  11.5  inches  in 
diameter,  4.5  inches  thick,  resting  on  a  concrete  pier,  to 
determine  the  limit  in  heights  at  which  the  same  will  arm 
when  carried  in  standard  dropping  pieces.  One  of  the 
pieces  weighs  15  pounds  and  has  the  form  of  a  3-inch  shell ; 
the  two  other  pieces  are  lighter  and  smaller.  No  concus- 
sion plunger  is  to  begin  to  arm  when  falling  in  the  lighter 
piece  from  a  height  of  4  feet  6  inches;  all  shall  fully  arm 
in  the  shell  with  14  feet  8  inches  drop.  No  percussion 
plunger  is  to  begin  to  arm  in  the  special  piece  falling  with 
6  feet  2  inches  drop;  all  shall  fully  arm  in  the  shell  with  a 
17  feet  6  inches  drop. 

Jumbling  and  Jolting  Test. —  Ten  fuses  will  be  placed, 
one  at  a  time,  in  a  wooden  box  approximately  16  inches  by 
11  inches  by  5  inches  inside  dimensions,  revolving  at  thirty 
revolutions  per  minute,  about  one  of  its  diagonals,  for  four 
hours.  The  fuses  will  then  be  placed  in  an  adjustable  fuse- 
holder  on  the  end  of  a  hinged  lever  16  inches  long,  which, 
by  the  motion  of  a  cam,  is  raised  4  inches,  thirty-five  times 
per  minute,  and  allowed  to  drop  on  an  iron  anvil.  The 
fuses  are  thus  dropped  for  an  hour,  point  downward,  base 
downward,  and  side  downward,  respectively.  The  primer 
shields  must  not  be  marked,  and  the  time  trains,  powder  pel- 
lets, etc.,  must  be  intact. 


CHAPTER  XII 

SPECIFICATIONS    FOR    BRITISH    18-POUNDER    QUICK- 
FIRING  CARTRIDGE  CASE  AND   PRIMER 

The  following  specifications  of  the  British  18-pounder 
quick-firing  cartridge  case  and  primer  govern  the  manu- 
facture and  inspection  of  these  cases  and  primers.  They 
are  abstracted  from  the  official  specifications  and  give  the 
most  important  information  required  by  the  manufacturer 
and  inspector. 

Construction.  —  The  cartridge  may  be  either  solid  drawn 
brass  or  built  up,  the  nature  of  the  alloy  and  the  thickness 
and  distribution  of  the  metal  being  left  to  the  contractor, 
except  that  the  dimensions  must  agree  with  those  in  Fig.  1. 
The  maximum  weight  is  to  be  3  pounds  1  ounce.  If  elec- 
trolytic copper  is  used,  it  must  be  melted  and  run  into 
ingots  before  use.  In  manufacture  the  number  of  drawings 
and  the  number  of  annealings  must  not  be  less  than  six. 
Should  any  folds  or  rings  exist  in  the  metal  of  the  base, 
they  must  not  be  removed;  any  marks  of  cutting  or  turn- 
ing of  the  metal  of  the  inside  of  the  base  will  cause  the  re- 
jection of  the  cartridge.  In  the  center  of  the  base  a  hole  is 
to  be  bored  and  threaded  to  receive  the  primer.  The  cart- 
ridges are  to  be  marked  on  the  base  with  the  numeral  and 
the  contractor's  initials  or  recognized  trade  mark. 

Screw  Threads. —  The  screw  threads  must,  unless  other- 
wise stated,  be  of  the  standard  Whitworth  thread,  be  cut 
full,  and  conform  to  the  government  inspector's  standard 
gages.  Contractors  may  send  their  gages  at  any  time  to 
the  chief  inspector  to  be  checked  and  compared  with  the 
standard  gages. 

General  Conditions. —  The  contractor  is  to  supply,  with 
the  first  delivery,  a  full-sized  tracing,  on  tracing  cloth,  of 
the  cartridge  he  is  delivering.  The  contractor  will  also 
supply,  free  of  charge,  samples  of  the  metal  from  which  the 
cases  are  to  be  made,  if  requested  by  the  chief  inspector  to 
do  so.  The  samples  should  not  be  less  than  6  by  2  inches. 

276 


BRITISH    CARTRIDGE   CASE  277 

Cases  in  stock,  that  is,  cases  made  before  the  date  of  the 
contract,  must  not  be  submitted  for  acceptance  under  a 
given  contract. 

The  cartridges  should  be  delivered  in  lots  of  not  less  than 
400.  If  less  than  400  are  delivered,  the  number  of  rounds 
to  be  fired  in  proof  will  be  the  same  as  if  the  delivery  were 
the  full  400.  If,  on  examination  of  twenty  per  cent  of  a 
lot,  it  is  found  that  departures  from  approved  design,  or 
defects  of  any  nature,  which  involve  rejection  of  the  cases, 
average  twenty-five  per  cent  of  the  number  examined,  the 
whole  of  the  lot  will  rejected. 

Proof.  —  (a)  Not  less  than  one-half  per  cent  will  be 
fired  in  proof.  At  least  one  cartridge  from  each  400  de- 
livered will  be  fired  three  times,  one  round  being  with  a 
proof  charge,  and  the  cartridge  being  (if  necessary)  re- 
formed after  each  round.  In  each  remaining  cartridge,  one 
proof  and  one  service  round  will  be  fired. 

(b)  The  cartridge  must  load  and  extract  easily,  and 
must  not  split  or  develop  any  flaw  or  crack  on  firing. 

(c)  The  cartridge  may  be  sectioned  after  firing;  the 
section  must  show  no  cracks. 

(d)  The  maximum  pressure  is  not  to  be  more  than  19 
tons  per  square  inch. 

(e)  If,  in  the  proof  of  any  delivery,  defects  appear 
which  involve  the  serviceability  of  the  article,  additional 
proof  may  be  taken  from  any  other  delivery  not  finally 
closed,  to  ascertain  if  the  defect  is  general  or  not.     Should 
the  cases  fail  at  this  further  proof,  the  delivery  will  be  re- 
jected without  reference  to  the  original  proof.     The  total 
proof  of  any  delivery  shall  not  exceed  five  per  cent  of  the 
number  delivered. 

Replacement  of  Proof.  —  The  contractor  will  be  required 
to  replace  all  cartridges  expended  in  proof  free  of  charge, 
and  when  the  order  is  approaching  completion,  he  will  be 
informed  by  the  inspector  how  many  are  required  to  com- 
plete the  number  on  the  order,  exclusive  of  the  cartridges 
so  expended,  which,  whether  fired  or  otherwise  tested,  will 
become  the  property  of  the  government. 


278 


BRITISH    CARTRIDGE   CASE 


Packing.  —  All  packages  will  be  so  marked  that  the  goods 
contained  therein  may  be  readily  identified  with  the  in- 
voice. Unless  specified  herein  that  the  packing  cases  or 
other  packing  material  will  become  the  property  of  the  war 
department,  they  will  remain  the  property  of  the  contrac- 
tor, who  is  responsible  for  their  removal.  Should  they  not 
be  removed  within  two  months  of  the  acceptance  of  the  cart- 
ridge cases,  they  will  be  disposed  of,  and  in  such  circum- 
stances the  contractor  will  not  be  entitled  to  make  any  claim 


^ 

~ 


I  £    MIN.   CAPACITY  TO  BASEJ 
11    i  §  OF  PROJECTILE  =  9+.8  Clj.lN. 

' 8.25 -|         Machinery 


11 


-i.o-»» 

PARALLEL 


Fig.   1. 


British   18-pounder  Quick-firing  Cartridge  Case,  giving   Complete 
Dimensions,   and    Bore   of   Quick-firing    Field    Gun 


for  compensation.  The  packing  cases  must  be  marked  "Re- 
turnable" or  "Non-returnable." 

Spontaneous  Cracking.  —  Any  cartridge  found  to  be 
cracked  before  or  after  filling,  but  before  firing,  is  to  be 
replaced  by  the  contractor  if  such  crack  is  discovered  within 
six  months  of  the  date  of  acceptance  of  the  cartridge  in 
question,  which  date  is  stamped  on  it. 

The  cartridges  may  be  inspected  during  manufacture  by, 
and  after  delivery  will  be  subjected  to  testing  by,  and  to  the 


BRITISH    CARTRIDGE    CASE 


279 


final  approval  of,  the  chief  inspector,  Royal  Arsenal,  Wool- 
wich, England,  or  an  officer  deputed  by  him. 

Primer.  —  The  primer  is  to  consist  of  the  following  parts 
(see  Fig.  2)  :  body  A;  closing  disk  B;  anvil  C;  plug  D;  cap 
E;  tin  foil  F;  ball  G;  paper  disk  H;  gun  powder  /;  and 
Pettman  cement.  The  body  is  to  be  made  of  composition 
metal  known  as  Class  "A"  or  "B."  All  other  metal  parts 
of  the  primer,  except  where  otherwise  specified,  are  to  be 
made  of  brass.  The  brass  is  not  to  contain  more  than  0.3 
per  cent  of  lead,  nor  to  have  more  than  one  per  cent  of 
total  metallic  impurities.  The  Class  "A"  or  "B"  metal  is 
to  be  in  accordance  with  the  following  requirements:  It 
must  be  perfectly  straight,  uniform  in  diameter,  and  free 
from  cracks  or  flaws,  and  must  be  capable  of  standing  the 
following  minimum  tests: 


Tenacity,  Tons  per 
Square  Inch 

Elongation  in  Per  Cent   in  such  a  Test 
Piece   as   can    be   furnished,   provided 
that 

Length 
I/7  Area 

Yield 
Point 

Breaking 
Stress 

Class  "A",  20 
Class  "B",  12 

Class  "A",  30 
Class  "B",  20 

Class  "A",  20  per  cent 
Class  "B",  30  per  cent 

Pieces  of  the  metals  it  is  proposed  to  use  in  the  manu- 
facture must  be  submitted  free  of  charge  by  the  contractor, 
for  testing,  when  requested  by  the  chief  inspector. 

Body.  —  The  exterior  of  the  body  is  to  be  turned  and 
threaded  and  a  flange  formed.  Two  slots  are  to  be  cut  in 
the  head  for  the  key.  The  interior  is  to  be  bored,  cupped, 
and  threaded.  The  exterior  of  the  body  is  to  be  lacquered 
with  a  lacquer  consisting  of : 

Seedlac  1  pound. 

Turmeric    8  ounces. 

Spirit,   Methylated 8  pounds. 

Screw,  Plugs  and  Copper  Ball. —  A  plug  having  one  end 
turned  to  form  an  anvil,  which  is  to  be  free  from  burrs,  is 


280 


BRITISH    CARTRIDGE    CASE 


-PAPER  DISK  SECURED  WITH  PETTMAN  CEMENT 
OUTSIDE  TO  BE  COATED  WITH  A  THIN  LAYER 


—  PAPER  DISK  SECURED  WITH  PETTMAN  CEMENT 
COATED  WITH  PETTMAN  CEMENT  UNDER  TURNOVER 


IF  SAWED,   NOT  TO  EXCEED  0.011 

CLOSING   DISK-BRASS 


ANVIL-  BRASS 


Machinery 


Fig.    2.      Primer    for    British    Quick-firing    Shrapnel     and     High-explosive 
Shell    Cartridge    Cases 


BRITISH    CARTRIDGE    CASE  281 

to  be  threaded  to  suit  the  body.  The  interior  is  to  be  turned 
out  to  receive  the  soft  copper  ball,  and  three  fire  holes  bored. 
A  plug  is  also  to  be  threaded  to  suit  the  body,  having  an  an- 
nular recess  turned  on  the  inner  side,  and  three  fire  holes 
bored. 

Cap.  —  The  cap  is  to  be  made  of  copper  and  the  interior 
is  to  be  varnished  with  varnish  composed  of : 

Finest  orange  shellac ....  2  pounds  2  ounces. 
Spirit,  Methylated 8  pounds. 

The  specific  gravity  of  the  varnish  is  to  be  0.885.  It  is 
then  to  be  charged  with  1.2  grain  of  the  following  compo- 
sition (figures  give  parts  by  weight)  : 

Sulphide  of  antimony 18 

Chlorate  of  potash 12 

Ground  glass  1 

Meal  powder 1 

Sulphur   1 

The  composition  is  to  be  pressed  into  the  cap  with  a 
pressure  of  800  pounds.  A  tin-foil  disk,  lacquered  on  one 
side,  is  then  to  be  placed  on  the  composition  with  the  lac- 
quered side  outwards,  and  placed  under  a  pressure  of  400 
pounds.  It  is  then  to  be  varnished  with  a  varnish  com- 
posed of: 

Finest  orange  shellac ....  2  pounds  2  ounces. 

Seedlac  1  pound. 

Turmeric    8  ounces. 

Spirit,   Methylated 16  pounds. 

The  specific  gravity  of  this  varnish  is  to  be  0.865. 
The  lacquer  for  the  tin-foil  disk  before  insertion  is  com- 
posed of : 

Seedlac    2  pounds. 

Turmeric   1  pound. 

Spirit,  Methylated 16  pounds. 

The  specific  gravity  of  this  lacquer  is  0.85. 
The  cap  is  to  be  externally  coated  with  Pettman  cement 
before  inserting  in  the  body,  and  then  a  fillet  of  Pettman 


282  BRITISH    CARTRIDGE    CASE 

cement  is   formed   between   the   body   and   cap;   Pettman 
cement  is  made  from  the  following  ingredients: 

Gum  shellac 7  pounds  8  ounces. 

Spirit,  Methylated 8  pounds. 

Tar,  Stockholm 5  pounds. 

Red,  Venetian 20  pounds  12  ounces 

Gun  Powder.  — The  primer  is  to  be  filled  with  R.  F.  G.2 
powder,  the  screw  plug  being  first  screwed  in  and  fixed 
by  three  small  punch  blows,  and  the  fire  holes  covered  by  a 
disk  of  paper  secured  with  Pettman  cement. 

Closing  Disk.  —  A  brass  disk  having  a  paper  disk  se- 
cured to  it  on  the  inner  side  by  Pettman  cement  is  to  be 
placed  on  the  top  of  the  powder,  and  a  ring  of  Pettman 
cement  painted  round  the  edge  of  the  disk  where  the  metal 
will  be  burred  over  onto  it.  After  the  primer  is  burred  over, 
the  whole  of  the  exterior  of  the  disk  will  also  be  coated  with 
a  thin  layer  of  the  cement. 

Marking  and  Delivery.  —  The  primers  will  be  marked 
with  the  numeral,  serial  number,  contractor's  initials  or 
recognized  trade-mark,  and  date  of  manufacture.  The 
primers  will  be  delivered  in  lots  of  1000,  an  additional  20 
being  supplied  for  proof  with  each  1000,  or  any  less  num- 
ber supplied.  In  the  event  of  further  proof  being  required, 
the  primers  will  be  taken  from  the  lot. 

Proof.  —  A  percentage  of  the  primers  will  be  selected  in- 
discriminately for  proof. 

(a)  The  primer  when  screwed  into  a  steel  block  must 
fire  correctly  with  a  1-pound  weight  falling  25  inches,  and 
ignite  a  puff  consisting  of  4  drams  of  R.  F.  G.?  powder 
enclosed  in  one  thickness  of  shalloon,  in  a  12-inch  vent 
with  special  receiver,  or  when  proved  in  any  gun  for  which 
approved,  it  must  ignite  the  charge  without  hang-fire. 

(b)  A  miss-fire,  hang-fire,  pierced  cap,  or  serious  escape 
of  gas  through  or  around  the  primer  will  cause  rejection. 

(c)  The  falling  weight  is  to  have  a  point  of  the  same 
shape  as  the  service  striker. 

(d)  Should  the  firing  proof  or  examination  of  any  de- 
livery bring  to  notice  any  defect  or  defects  which,  in  the 


BRITISH    CARTRIDGE   CASE 


283 


[< eor 


284  BRITISH    CARTRIDGE   CASE 

opinion  of  the  chief  inspector,  affect  the  serviceability  of 
the  primers,  the  delivery  in  question  may  be  rejected,  or 
further  proof  taken  at  his  discretion,  not  only  from  the 
particular  delivery,  but  from  any  others  made  by  the  con- 
tractor which  may  be  under  inspection,  to  ascertain  whether 
the  defect  is  general.  Should  any  primers  fail  at  these  fur- 
ther proofs,  the  delivery  or  deliveries  will  be  rejected  with- 
out reference  to  any  previous  proof. 

If,  on  examination  of  twenty  per  cent  of  a  lot,  it  is  found 
that  departures  from  approved  design  or  defects  of  any 
nature  which  involve  rejection  of  the  defective  primers 
average  25  per  cent  of  the  number  examined,  the  whole 
of  the  lot  will  be  rejected.  The  contractor  will  be  required 
to  replace  free  of  charge  all  primers  expended  in  proof  and 
examination,  which,  whether  fired  or  otherwise  tested,  will 
become  the  property  of  the  government. 

Specifications  for  Cartridge  Clip.  — The  general  dimen- 
sions for  the  cartridge  clip  are  given  in  Fig.  3.  The  clip 
is  made  from  hard-rolled  sheet  brass  in  one  piece.  Four 
projecting  arms  are  to  be  formed;  the  ends  of  each  are  bent 
over  as  indicated.  The  clip  is  sand-blasted,  and  lacquered 
with  a  lacquer  composed  of: 

Vegetable  black 1  pound. 

Seedlac 1%   pound. 

Turpentine   (1  quart) 2  pounds. 

Methylated  spirits   (6  quarts)  ...  .12  pounds. 

One  arm  is  coated  with  paint  consisting  of: 

Vermillion,  dry 2  ounces. 

Shellac,  dry 1  ounce. 

White  hard  varnish %  ounce. 

Spirits,  Methylated l!/2  ounce. 

Loop.  —  The  loop  is  to  consist  of  13  inches  of  "webbing, 
cotton,  1/2  inch,"  threaded  through  the  clip  and  sewed. 
Three  yards  of  webbing,  selected  from  the  bulk,  are  to  be 
submitted  to  the  chief  inspector  before  being  used.  The 
webbing  submitted  will  be  cut  into  lengths  of  11  inches  and 
the  ends  of  each  length  securely  fixed  in  the  clamps  of  a 


BRITISH    CARTRIDGE   CASE  285 

testing  machine,  the  clamps  being  7  inches  apart.  The 
strain  will  be  gradually  increased  until  the  sample  breaks. 
The  breaking  strain  must  not  be  less  than  200  pounds. 

Delivery.  — The  clips  will  be  delivered  in  lots  of  1000. 
If,  on  examination  of  20  per  cent  of  a  lot,  it  is  found  that 
departures  from  approved  design,  or  defects  of  any  nature, 
which  involve  rejection  of  the  clips  average  25  per  cent  of 
the  number  examined,  the  whole  of  the  lot  will  be  rejected. 


CHAPTER  XIII 
SPECIFICATIONS  FOR  AMERICAN  SHRAPNEL  SHELLS 

The  American  shrapnel  shells  comprise  the  following 
parts :  forged  shell  body,  copper  driving  band,  head,  washer, 
tubes,  bullets,  matrix,  head  filler,  diaphragm,  base  charge, 
and  fuse.  In  some  cases  a  Semple  tracer  is  used,  and,  when 
this  is  the  case,  the  base  of  the  shrapnel  must  be  machined 
to  accommodate  it. 

Shell.  — The  shell  is  to  be  made  of  forged  alloy  steel  or 
bar  stock  having  the  properties  outlined  in  Table  I.  The 
forgings  must  be  annealed  so  that  they  can  be  machined 
with  reasonable  ease.  The  maximum  elastic  limit  for  the 
2.95-inch  and  3-inch  shell  forgings  must  not  exceed  115,000 
pounds  per  square  inch,  and  in  case  of  the  3.8-inch,  4.7-inch, 
and  6-inch  must  not  exceed  110,000  pounds  per  square  inch. 
All  shrapnel  shells  must  be  subjected  to  an  exterior  hy- 
draulic pressure  of  20,000  pounds  per  square  inch  up  to  the 
rotating  band,  and  to  an  interior  hydraulic  pressure  of  1000 
pounds  per  square  inch.  A  certain  number  from  each  1000 
shells  are  also  subjected  to-  a  ballistic  test  by  firing  com- 
pleted shrapnels  from  a  gun  with  a  maximum  pressure  of 
37,000  pounds,  except  for  the  6-inch,  which  will  be  fired 
under  a  pressure  of  22,500  pounds  per  square  inch. 

The  shell  is  to  be  finished  outside  and  inside  except  at 
points  otherwise  indicated,  where  it  is  to  be  left  in  the 
rough-forged  state.  The  inside  of  the  shell  is  to  be  coated 
with  non-acid  paint,  except  where  machined,  and  the  pow- 
der chamber  is  to  be  given  a  heavy  coat.  Great  care  should 
be  taken  to  remove  all  burrs,  scale,  and  sharp  corners.  The 
outline  of  the  shell  after  the  first  operation,  when  made 
from  bar  stock,  is  shown  by  dotted  lines  in  Fig.  1.  The 
base  of  the  shell  is  to  be  machined  as  illustrated  to  the 
right  at  A  in  Fig.  1,  when  a  Semple  tracer  is  used. 

Copper  Driving  Band.  —  The  copper  driving  band  is  to  be 
cut  from  tubing  of  pure  electrolytic  copper,  and  machined 
to  the  dimensions  shown.  It  is  to  be  heated  and  expanded 

286 


AMERICAN  SHRAPNEL  SHELL 


287 


PRESS  METAL  OF  FUSE  INTO 


MATRIX 
RESIN  AND  MONO-NITRONAPTHALENE 


rW^-Si     ><— 0.45-~>t*-0.35- 


MODIFICATION  OF  REAR  END  OF  PROJECTILE 
FOR   USE  IN  3  INCH   HOWITZER 
0.87 


TUBE  (A 

ONE— SEAMLESS   DRAWN  BRASS, 

TUBING  0.05  THICK. 
COAT  INSIDE  WITH  SHELLAC 


LOCKING  PIN 

TWO  — STEEL 

FINISH  ±0.005 

DRIVE  AND  PEEN  AFTER 

ASSEMBLING  HEAD  TO  CASE 


Fig.   1.     Assembly  and   Details  of  American   Shrapnel    Shell 


288 


AMERICAN  SHRAPNEL  SHELL 


to  2.985  inch  inside  diameter — for  the  3-inch  shell — and  is 
to  be  shrunk  into  the  seat,  then  forced  into  the  scores  by 
passing  through  a  die  and  afterwards  turned  to  size. 

Washer  and  Head.  —  The  washer — for  the  3-inch  shell- 
is  to  be  made  from  steel  0.031  inch  thick  and  formed  to 
shape  by  punching.  The  head  is  to  be  made  from  cold- 
drawn  steel,  finished  all  over,  and  coated  inside  with  a  non- 
acid  paint.  The  crimping  wall  is  to  be  turned  down  over 


FUSE   HOLE  PLUG 

DIE  CAST  WHITE  METAL 

NON-CORROSIVE 

±0.010 


FUSE  HOLE  PLUG 

WROUGHT   IRON  OR  BRONZE 
±0.010 

0.03K 


DIAPHRAGM 

FORGED  STEEL 

±0.005 


.Machinery 


Fig.    2.     Details   of   American    Shrapnel    Shell 

the  washer  after  machining,  and  a  hole  drilled  after  the 
head  is  assembled  to  the  shell.  Five  notches  equally  spaced 
are  to  be  cut  around  the  head,  and  a  crimping  groove  cut 
for  putting  on  the  fuse  protecting  cap. 

Tube.  —  The  tube  is  to  be  made  from  seamless  drawn 
brass  tubing,  and  is  to  be  coated  inside  with  shellac.  An 
additional  short  tube  is  to  be  inserted  at  the  nose  or  mouth 
of  this  tube,  next  to  the  fuse;  this  latter  is  to  be  made 
from  seamless  drawn  copper,  and  is  to  be  forced  into  the 
tube  under  pressure  and  crimped  over. 


AMERICAN  SHRAPNEL  SHELL 


289 


Bullets.  —  The  bullets  used  in  the  shrapnel  are  to  be 
made  from  12.5  per  cent  antimony  to  87.5  per  cent  lead, 
and  are  to  be  flattened  with  six  faces  as  shown  in  the  illus- 
tration ;  252  bullets  are  used  in  the  3-inch  shrapnel. 

Matrix  and  Head  Filler.  —  The  matrix  is  to  consist  of 
resin  and  mono-nitronaphthalene,  poured  into  the  shell,  as 
will  be  described  in  connection  with  loading.  The  head  is 
to  be  filled  with  melted  resin,  poured  in. 

Diaphragm.  —  The  diaphragm  is  to  be  made  of  forged 
steel  to  the  dimension  shown.  It  is  to  be  drilled  and  coun- 
terbored,  and  great  care  should  be  taken  to  remove  all  burrs, 
sharp  corners,  and  scale.  The  bottom  of  the  diaphragm  is 
also  to  be  given  a  heavy  coat  of  non-acid  paint. 

TABLE  I.    PHYSICAL  PROPERTIES  OF  STEEL  FOR  VARIOUS 
SIZES  OF  SHRAPNEL  SHELLS 


Caliber, 
Inches 

Tensile  Strength, 
Pounds 
Per  Square  Inch 

Elastic  Limit, 
Pounds 
Per  Square  Inch 

Elongation 
in  2  Inches, 
Per  Cent 

Contraction, 
Per  Cent 

2.95 

120,000 

90,000 

16 

45 

3.0 

120,000 

90,000 

16 

45 

3.8 

110,000 

80,000 

15 

40 

4.7 

110,000 

80,000 

15 

40 

6.0 

110,000 

80,000 

15 

40 

Fuse-hole  Plug.  —  There  are  two  types  of  fuse-hole  plugs ; 
one  is  to  be  made  from  die-cast  white  metal,  of  non-corro- 
sive properties,  and  machined  to  dimensions  given  in  draw- 
ing, and  the  other  of  wrought  iron  or  bronze.  The  weight 
of  the  wrought-iron  plug — for  the  3-inch  shell — is  to  be 
0.97  pound,  and  the  weight  of  the  bronze  plug,  1.03  pound. 
Either  type  of  fuse-hole  plug  may  be  used. 

Locking  Pin.  —  Two  steel  locking  pins  are  required  which 
must  be  finished  to  limits  of  =t  0.005  inch,  driven  in  and 
peened  over  after  the  head  is  assembled  in  the  shell. 

Directions  for  Loading  American  3-inch  Shrapnel  Shell. 
—  In  loading,  make  sure  that  the  diaphragm  seats  firmly 
on  the  shoulder  in  the  shell,  then  pour  in  0.25  ounce  of  pow- 
dered resin  to  seal  the  joints,  and  shake  down  well  to  fill 
all  cracks.  The  powdered  resin  becomes  plastic  when  the 


290 


AMERICAN  SHRAPNEL  SHELL 


— >l 


0  O  OOO 


1 


O 


i  O  1-1  <M  CO 


t-  1-  t-  t-  1- 


00  J>  IO  OS 

<N  04  CO  T*  10' 


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(M  10  TH  Or^ 

J>  00  O  CO*  «0 


OS  O  00  t-  O 
CQ  CO  CO  ^  «O 


11 

^2 


CQ.r-i  1C  O  O5 
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o  o  o  o  o 


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AMERICAN  SHRAPNEL  SHELL 


291 


melted  resin  is  poured  in.  Next  put  in  one  layer  of  bullets 
(18)  and  pour  in  0.4  ounce  of  melted  resin;  then  put  in  108 
bullets  and  pack  by  a  pressure  of  six  tons.  Then  pour  in 
3.75  ounces  of  melted  mono-nitronaphthalene ;  put  in  126 
bullets ;  drive  down  with  mallet  below  end  of  tube ;  and  pour 
in  4  ounces  of  melted  resin.  After  the  mass  has  thoroughly 
cooled,  face  off  matrix  so  that  the  depth  from  the  end  of 
the  shell  shall  be  0.27  inch  to  allow  for  screwing  in  head, 
which  should  bear  down  hard  on  matrix.  Next  place  washer 

TABLE  III.    WEIGHTS  AND  MATERIALS  USED  IN  AMERICAN 
3-INCH  SHRAPNEL  SHELLS 


Part 

Material 

Weight  in  Pounds 

Shell 

Steel 

5.80 

Driving    Band 

Copper 

0.15 

Washer 

Steel 

0.02 

Head 

Steel 

0.45 

Tube   (including 
inner  tube) 

Brass  and  Copper 

0.09 

Bullets    (252) 

Lead-antimony   Alloy 

6.05 

Matrix 

Resin  and  Mono-nitro- 
naphthalene 

0.52 

Head  Filler 

Resin 

0.03 

Diaphragm 

Steel 

0.47 

Base  Charge 

Shrapnel  Powder 

0.17 

Fuse 

1.25 

Semple  Tracer 

0.20 

Tracer  Support 

0.17 

Total  Weight 

15.37  -+•  0.15 

in  head  and  secure  it  by  turning  down  crimping  wall.  Then 
fill  annular  space  in  lower  face  of  head  with  melted  resin, 
and  after  this  is  thoroughly  cooled,  face  off  flush  with  lower 
end  of  head.  Screw  head  in  place  and  secure  with  pins; 
then  insert  inner  tube,  pour  in  the  base  charge  through  the 
tube,  and  insert  stopper.  After  the  shell  has  been  loaded, 
the  shell  and  head  should  be  painted  from  the  rotating  bands 
to  the  rear  edge  of  the  groove.  For  waterproofing,  coat 
with  a  pure  raw  linseed  oil  black  paint.  Coat  the  remain- 
der of  the  head  with  bitumastic  solution,  and  crimp  the 
waterproof  cover  in  place  while  the  solution  is  plastic.  In 
the  lower  end  of  the  inner  tube  should  be  placed  a  stopper 
of  dry  fibrous  guncotton  rolled  tightly  into  a  cylinder  and 


292 


AMERICAN  SHRAPNEL  SHELL 


pressed  down  until  it  rests  on  the  shoulder  of  the  diaphragm 
and  is  about  one  inch  long. 

The  case  is  to  be  stamped  as  follows  with  letters  1/16 
inch  high:  Lot  number  of  shrapnel  shell,  purchase  order, 
date  of  issue  of  purchase  order,  fiscal  year,  and  initials  of 
manufacturer. 


TABLE  IV.    PRINCIPAL  DIMENSIONS  OF  VARIOUS  SIZES  OF  CART- 
RIDGE CASES  USED  ON  AMERICAN  SHRAPNEL  SHELLS 


ip-r1                                 I      I 

4 

i                       i 

Machinery  ' 

Dimensions  in  Inches 
Caliber 

in  Inches 
A                   B                   C                   D                   E 

F 

3.0               3.5             3.2             0.06           0.04           3.05 
3.8              4.3             4.05           0.07           0.04           3.75 
4.7               5.25           5.00           0.10           0.05           4.75 
6.0               6.75           6.50           0.08           0.04           6.25 

10.8 
14.4 
16.8 
10.0 

Cartridge  Case.  —  The  various  sizes  of  American  cart- 
ridge cases  for  shrapnel  shells  are  drawn  from  a  blank  of 
brass,  known  as  "cartridge  brass."  The  principal  dimen- 
sions of  the  various  sizes  of  cases  are  given  in  Table  IV. 

The  specifications  covering  the  time  and  percussion  fuse 
used  in  American  shrapnel  shells  are  the  same  as  for  the 
British  "No.  85,"  given  in  Chapter  XI,  with  the  one  excep- 
tion that  the  base  of  the  fuse  body  is  shaped  to  suit  the 
American  shell,  and  the  thread  is  the  U.  S.  standard,  in- 
stead of  Whitworth  standard. 


INDEX 


PAGE 

American   shrapnel   shell,   section   of 3 

specifications 286 

American  type  of  fuse 8 

Annealing  and  washing  cartridge  cases 178 

Automatic  Machine  Co.'s  threading  lathe  used  for  threading  shells  129 

Band,    machining    rifling 68 

pressing  on  rifling 66 

Besly  grinder  equipped  for  grinding  shrapnel 137 

Brass  for  cartridge  cases 235 

Brass  plugs  for  fuse,  forging 145 

Brass  socket,  machining 146 

British  cartridge  cases,  specifications 276 

British  fuses,  specifications 260 

British  primers,  specifications 279 

British  shrapnel  shell,  section  of 3 

specifications    251 

Brown  &  Sharpe  machines  used  for  making  fuse  parts 164 

Bullets,   shrapnel    140 

Caley  method  of  making  shrapnel  forgings 20 

Cartridge    cases,    annealing    and    washing 178 

cupping    176 

drawing    172 

list  of  operations 190 

machining   180 

specifications    for    British 276 

specifications  for  Russian 231 

summary  of  operations 192 

testing  hardness  of 179 

Cartridge  clip,  British 284 

Cleveland  "Automatic"  used  for  making  shrapnel  shells 85 

Clip,  British   cartridge 284 

Closing  cap,  machining 162 

Closing    screw,    machining 162 

Copper  rifling  band,  machining 68 

pressing  on    ! 66 

Cupping  cartridge   cases 176 

293 


294  INDEX 

PAGE 

Detonators 15 

specifications    for    Russian 245 

Diaphragm   forging    ." 39 

Drawing  operations   on   cartridge   cases 172 

table  of  operations , 190 

Drilling  percussion  primers 167 

Drilling  timing  fuse  plugs 170 

Explosives,   classification   of 14 

in   shrapnel   shells 4 

manufacture  of  high 18 

Forging  brass  plugs  for  fuse 145 

Forging  diaphragms    39 

Forging  fuse   sockets 143 

Forging  shrapnel  heads 38 

Forging    shrapnel    shells 20 

French  shrapnel  shell,  section  of 3 

French  type  of  fuse 11 

Fulminates    15 

Fuse,  American  type 8 

French  type    11 

Russian  type 9 

specifications  for  British 260 

specifications  for  Russian 213 

time  and  percussion 6 

Vickers'  type    228 

Fuse  bodies,  machining 150 

Fuse  hammers,  making 165 

Fuse   nose,    machining 156 

Fuse   nut,    making 166 

Fuse  parts,  making 143 

Fuse    plugs,    drilling 170 

Fuse  sockets,  forging 143 

Fuse  timing  ring,  graduating 171 

Gages  for  shrapnel  parts 72,  73 

Gaging   shrapnel    shells 71 

German   shrapnel   shell,   section   of 3 

Graduating  fuse  timing  ring 171 

Gridley  "Automatics,"  used  for  making  fuse  parts 156 

used   for   making   shrapnel    shells 103 

Grinding   shrapnel   shells 64,  132 

Hardness  testing,  of  cartridge  cases 179 

of   shrapnel   shells , 48 


INDEX  295 

PAGE 

Head,   machining   shrapnel 152 

Heading  operations  on  cartridge  cases,  table 190 

Heat-treating    department,    lay-out   of . . 58,  59 

Heat-treatment  of  shrapnel  shells 47 

Holinger  method  of  making  shrapnel  f orgings 25 

Hydraulic  press  method  of  forging  shrapnel 29 

Libby  turret  lathe  used  for  machining  shrapnel  shells 122 

Lo-swing  lathe  used  for  machining  shells 114 

Machines  for  shrapnel  manufacture 75 

Machining  shrapnel   shells 40 

Marking  shrapnel   shells 74 

New  Britain  "Automatics"  used  for  making  fuse,  parts 146 

Norton  method  of  grinding  shrapnel  shells 133 

Percussion    primers,    drilling 167 

Potter  &  Johnston  "Automatics"  used  for  machining  forged  shells  90 

Powder,  black    15 

smokeless    16 

Powder  cups,  press  tools  for 139 

Press  tools  for  powder  cup 139 

Primers,   charging    246 

for  fuses,  drilling 167 

specifications    for    British 279 

Reed-Prentice  equipment  for  machining  shrapnel  shells 75 

Rifling  band,  machining. 68 

pressing  on  • 66 

Rough-turning  operations  on  shrapnel  forgings 43 

Russian  cartridge  cases,  specifications  for 231 

Russian  combination  fuse,  Vickers'  type 228 

Russian  shrapnel  shell  fuses,  specifications 213 

Russian  shrapnel  shell,  section  of 3 

specifications  194 

Russian  type  of  fuse 9 

Shrapnel  bullets 140 

Shrapnel    cartridge    cases 172 

Shrapnel   head,    forging 38 

machining    152 

Shrapnel    shells,    forging 20 

grinding 64,  132 

heat-treatment  47 


296  INDEX 

PAGE 

history    1 

machines  and  tools  for  manufacture 75 

machining 40 

present   design 2 

specifications  for  American 286 

specifications  for  British 251 

specifications    for   Russian 194 

steel   for    51 

types   3 

Smokeless  powder 16 

Socket,   machining .146,  150 

Specifications,  for  American  shrapnel  shells 286 

for  British  cartridge   cases 276 

for  British  fuses    260 

for  British  primers 279 

for  British  shrapnel  shells 251 

for  Russian  cartridge  cases 231 

for  Russian  shrapnel  shells 194 

for  Russian  shrapnel  shell  fuses -. . . .  213 

Steel  for  shrapnel 51 

Tensile  strength,  testing 48 

Testing  hardness  of  cartridge  cases 179 

Testing  shell  body  for  hardness  and  tensile  strength 48 

Threading   shells    129 

Timing  fuse  plugs,  drilling 170 

Timing  ring,   graduating 171 

machining    162 

Tools  for  shrapnel  manufacture 75 

Varnish  for  cartridge  cases. 242 

Vickers'    type   of   fuse 228 

Warner   &   Swasey  turret  lathe,  used  for  machining  bar-stock 

shells    112 

used  for  machining  forged  shells 109 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 
BERKELEY 


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expiration  of  loan  period. 


JAN   7  192S 


50m-7,'16,l 


338018 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


